Jekhipe
by st.jimmy.987
Summary: As part of the Noah clan, Tyki Mikk is used to wandering and performing; and, somehow, Lavi turns his ideas and world around completely; "Suppose something comes of this. Would you come with us if you could?" :AU, LUCKY, Yullen:
1. Chapter 1

Tyki saw Lavi when he was a kid.

He supposed the sighting was owed to Allen, the kid Mana had found on the side of the road a few years back. The boy had been sent to the nearby town to get food while everyone set up the usual stalls, stands, and stages, and he had yet to return. Mana, like the over-protected father the Earl teased him relentlessly about, had sent Tyki to go find him. With a genuine smile, he had agreed to go after the pale boy.

He ended up running all over town, ignoring people's reactions to his old and worn clothes as he looked all over for the small kid. Each corner he turned, each call that went unanswered, worried Tyki more and more as time went by. What if he had been taken? He had only been with them for two, maybe three seasons, and he was still young and innocent, still unused to the harsh world Tyki was already aware of as a gypsy. Allen would trust people blindly, and- - -

He saw a flash of white, and he skid to a stop, nearly slipping in the dirt.

"Allen!" He called, racing towards the kid. Allen was staring at him, eyes wide and filling slowly with tears, his cheek red. Coming to a stop, he didn't notice anything else, focusing entirely on the boy he had spent the last couple hours looking for. "Everyone was getting worried. What are you doing?" He smiled lightly at the boy, glancing at the people around. There were two small boys- - -one with dark hair and eyes, and another with fiery red hair and green eye, the other covered by an eye patch. He didn't recognize either boy; the woman behind them, though, made Tyki's blood freeze despite his slight ignorance.

"He has insulted our family." She said coldly as he joined them by standing right next to Allen. He gulped- - -what had Allen been thinking, talking to these people? Yes, it was true that the boy was young, but Tyki had though Mana and Cross had taught him to not talk to people so obviously above them! "He either needs to apologize, or be punished according to the family rules."

Tyki couldn't help the anger coursing through him at the woman's words- - -yes, Allen should know better, but Tyki knew what Allen did couldn't have been that bad; the boy was only five seasons old (at least, that's what they all assumed), and the woman he was talking to was most definitely speaking of a rule that would most likely warrant Allen's death. Forcing a polite smile on his face, Tyki allowed his mind to wander frantically and freely to think of a way to save Allen.

"On behalf of my little idiot here, many apologies, madam." He started, placing a hand on the back of Allen's head and pushing his head forward in a bow as he did the same. "I'm sure," and here, his grip in Allen's silver hair tightened enough to make the boy gasp quietly in pain, to make sure he didn't say anything that might have made the situation worse, "that he meant no harm. We are merely travelers passing by."

"Tyki...!" Allen whispered almost inaudibly; in response, Tyki's hand tightened even further as a warning before releasing his tight grip. They stood together, Tyki taking the groceries from Allen. Tyki chanced a glance at the woman- - -she was still glaring at them, but it had less fury and anger than it did a few moments prior, and Tyki took it as his chance to continue.

"Please forgive him." Tyki continued, hoping to prey on the woman's motherly side (if she even had one- - -from the looks of her, she would rather find a way to injure them greatly than listen to a child), "He is only five seasons old, and we're still teaching him manners." Placing the groceries on the ground gently, Tyki pulled Allen onto his back and picked up the food again. He felt Allen tighten his arms around his neck, his legs wrapping tightly around Tyki's waist. "Come on, Allen. Mana is getting worried."

They weren't five feet away when Allen scrambled to get a better hold.

"Tyki, Tyki!" He said sweetly, making Tyki 'hmm' in response. "Thank you for coming for me."

"Mana sent me." Tyki answered carelessly. "He was getting worried- - -you were gone a long time, Allen."

"Sorry." Tyki could feel Allen deflate against his back slightly, and the older boy smiled.

"Did ya get lost? You do that often, you know." He felt Allen flush against his shoulder and he laughed. "You did! Haha, Allen, why would you agree to go shopping if you wouldn't be able to find your way back?"

"I met new people." Allen said defensively. Tyki stopped walking, looking at the pale boy with his gold eyes. "Two boys, but I think they're older than me."

"That doesn't matter." Tyki said. "Did you forget what Mana taught you already, little one?" Allen stared back, his silver eyes wide. "Have you forgotten?"

"No." Allen murmured defensively, his head falling against Tyki's shoulder again. Tyki started walking, the two boys reaching the edge of the town rather quickly. "He knocked me over though."

"Who did?" Tyki asked patiently, looking around for their caravans.

"Stupid BaKanda did." Allen muttered angrily, and Tyki froze, his eyes wide.

He heard of the Kanda family, with its harsh training and family of swords and swordsmen. The whole family came from a long line of samurai, each able to wield weapons from a sword to small, sharp pointed stars called 'shurikan'. Each of them, from the father to son, mother to daughter, were hard, cold, practically heartless people; Tyki felt grateful that he had come when he did, as he most likely saved the boy from a quick, most likely painless, but still horrible demise.

"Allen," Tyki said slowly, walking again. "I want you to be careful around that boy, do you hear me?" He ignored Allen's surprised noise and continued talking. "That whole family is dangerous, if you aren't careful."

"But, Lavi isn't part of BaKanda's family." Tyki winced at the new name Allen thought suited the youngest Kanda son.

"Lavi?" He questioned instead, watching Mana pace back and forth in front of Tyki's older brother Sheryl.

"The boy with red hair." Allen said, scrambling to get off of Tyki. "With the eye patch. He's really cool. Mana!" The man turned, and despite the fact that no one could see his face, Tyki could see the relief that flooded the man's body.

"Allen." As Allen started chattering excitedly, Tyki brought the groceries to Sheryl.

"Hello, brother." Sheryl smiled at him encouragingly.

"Tyki." He stood, ruffling Tyki's hair (to his annoyance) and stretched his back. "It took you a while to come back with Allen. Any longer, and I would have been making trails with Mana as well."

"Kid got lost." Tyki said, looking at Allen on Mana's shoulders. "I don't think that we should send Allen for groceries in a while; he's still too little to do it by himself." Sheryl laughed.

"Well said, little brother!" Tyki growled and moved his head quickly as Sheryl's hand came down. "I'm going to find Lord Millennium and put the food away."

With that, he turned and ran, the incident with the Kanda family already put out of his mind.

* * *

><p>Things were wild around him. They had officially started yesterday, and the entire troupe was working hard. Most of the younger children were placed in bed; Tyki, as part of the Noah clan and the opener for Mana's magic show, the Earl's almost inhuman abilities, and his own tricks with the butterflies he called the Tease, was one of the very few exceptions to this rule.<p>

As such, Tyki was struggling into his performance outfit while having Allen sit on the bed beside him and his niece Rhode lay next to the pale boy with her bear in her left arm, both watching him with a sleepy look in their eyes as he dressed and tried to get them to sleep at the same time. On the far side of them, the two toddlers that had been picked up a few days ago, Jasdero and Devito (names curtesy of the Millennium Earl), were already sleeping; Devito spread out on the bed, Jasdero clinging to him tightly in his sleep.

Outside, he could hear Sheryl's wife Tricia greeting everyone who came in, and the familiar muttering of a crowd in awe.

"Tyki..." Allen yawned. Tyki 'hmm'ed and turned slightly, looking at the boy. "When can I help out like you do?" Tyki smiled gently and helped Allen lay down next to Rhode; her golden eyes, so similar to his own, were already shut as she slept.

"Wait a few more seasons, ok?" He said softly, pulling the blanket over them both as Allen snuggled closer to Rhode, his arm thrown over her waist as he turned on his side. Tyki shook his head, and a fluttering on the other side of the room caught his attention.

"Ha!" He hissed triumphantly, leaping instantly into action and capturing the movement. "Gotcha!" He fell to the floor with a 'mmph!', careful of the object in his hands, before opening them to discover the empty space. "Dammit!"

A dark purple butterfly landed gently on his nose, making Tyki cross-eyed as he tried to keep it in sight.

"You're such a pain, stupid Tease." He grumbled as he raised his hands slowly. The butterfly's wings fluttered, but it didn't move from it's perch; instead, it bit his nose. "OW! That hurts!" He moved quickly, each hand grabbing a wing and pulling it gently off of his nose. The butterfly flapped in protest, but stilled after a few moments.

He took a moment to look it over critically. It was the largest butterfly (just bigger than his palm when it was spread open) in the hundreds that the Earl had given him to train and own, and the one the he had with him more often than not. It seemed as though it were the leader, because while he had tried relentlessly to train them, if he couldn't get this one to do as he said, then none of them would.

"I dunno why Lord Millennium gave me you." He muttered, releasing one of the wings so he could place the insect on his shoulder. "But you and the others belong to me now, remember?" Tyki felt ridiculous, talking to the butterfly as he continued getting ready, but the purple insect seemed to be paying attention to him, which was enough.

* * *

><p>"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen of all ages, to the Millennium Earl's Clan of Noah!" Tyki was standing at the top of a very thin, very high pole with one foot balanced at the tip of it and the other just behind it in midair (if Sheryl could see him now, he would have heart failure similar to the time he though Tricia was going to be gravely ill months and months before Rhode was born). Below him, everyone gasped in awe and surprise as they stared at the boy high above them. He smiled smoothly, using his left hand to touch the brim of the black top hat Lord Millennium was generous enough to buy him as part of his outfit.<p>

"And as you have decided to grace us with your presence," Tyki bent his knee slightly, holding his right hand up, the purple butterfly flapping its wings in preparation for take-off. "Allow us to entertain you for a few moments." He jumped, flipping backwards easily as the butterfly took off, and many more others joined it suddenly, appearing to come out from his body as he fell. They surrounded him, completely covering him from view as he landed easily on the top of stall, careful not to step on any of his Tease. From there, he went into the stall, joining the Millennium Earl and one of the other Noah teens, Skinn Boric.

"Excellent work as usual, Tyki-pon." The Earl said, clapping happily as the purple butterfly fluttered down to land on Tyki's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Lord Millennium." Tyki's gold eyes traveled over to Skinn, his teenaged cousin. "I haven't seen you recently, Skinn. Where have you been?" The teen glared at him angrily.

"None of your damn business, pipsqueak." Tyki's eye twitched slightly, but he pushed back his wild hair back, placing his hat on firmly.

"As you wish, Skinn. I suppose I can leave it be, as your strength and size alone can best me in the fairest of fistfights; though you rarely fight fair to begin with. But I digress." Tyki turned to leave, his fingers lingering on the brim. "Be careful, though. My butterflies are carnivorous, and it'd be a shame to discover you missing." Skinn growled at him, and Tyki glared back.

"Now, now, boys," The Earl called cheerfully, placing a hand on Tyki's shoulder as if deciding which of his little 'family' he would support. "No fighting, not now. Besides, Tyki, eight seasons is much too young to be making threats of that nature."

"Of course, Lord Millennium." Tyki said, walking away when he felt the Earl's hand leave his shoulder. "I'm going to check on Tricia. I know something's up with her, despite my brother's protests. I feel that it would be better if she opened up and told me what was wrong with her, seeing as all my brother can do is fawn over her and Rhode all the time."

* * *

><p>Tyki searched for Tricia, his golden eyes going over face after face after face to find the woman his brother had married. Every now and then, he'd backpedal, thinking he saw her, but it always ended up being someone else.<p>

A flash of red caught his attention, and he turned.

He felt his face flush lightly when he saw one of the boys that were with Allen a few days previous. He had no idea what the boy was doing here, but he forgot his idea of finding Tricia and began to follow this boy instead, curious about his intentions.

The other didn't seem to notice, running to the different stands and stalls they had. Tyki stayed in the shadows, his hand firmly on the brim of his hat.

He was called suddenly, and Tyki gave the other boy one long last look before turning and running face-first into Sheryl's chest.

"What happened?" Tyki asked- - -his brother had this stricken look on his face, one similar to when they thought Tricia was going to die a few months before Rhode was born...

Tyki felt his stomach drop.

"Is it bad?" He asked instead, chasing after Sheryl when his brother simply turned and ran. "Sheryl? Tell me!"

The man still refused to answer; spotting a familiar black dress, Tyki stopped short with a growl, grabbing the edges of the dress around the woman's waist.

"Miranda!" He hissed, and the woman jumped, her shoulder-length hair flying slightly through the air.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" She shrieked in surprise, glancing down at him; her eyes widened even more in fear as she registered Tyki. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please forgive me, oh please!" Her accent, foreign and thickening with each word, made Tyki wince slightly.

"Shut up." He said harshly, and Miranda obeyed so quickly it was stunning. She stood still, trembling madly and looking as if he were ready to stick his Tease through her chest and into her heart. "Tricia needs help. Follow Sheryl and help us bring her into the medical tent." Miranda's eyes widened in shock, but before she could thank him or anything, Tyki shoved her in the direction his brother went. "Don't speak, just move. Now!"

* * *

><p>Tyki sat outside the tent, head falling back against the soft material. His golden eyes shut, the boy gave off the impression of being asleep, the Tease fluttering gently every now and then against his shoulder.<p>Tricia, it turned out, had collapsed in the midst of her job. She had been running a high fever, and somehow made it worse by not telling anyone and continuing with work. It was by some miracle that she didn't get caught, especially with the way Sheryl doted on her.

Speaking of Sheryl, the man had hardly stopped pacing. He'd been like this for hours; despite being the best and only doctor they knew or had, Miranda Lotto had the strangest ability to be clumsy in all manners. If it were not for the fact that they needed her so (no other doctor would look at them, let alone join them, as they were gypsies in all sense of the word: work, play, and travel; in fact, most doctors laughed before shutting the door in their face).

At any rate, she was their best hope.

"Stop pacing, you dolt." Tyki muttered from his seat. His suit, having been held in safety in the Earl's trunk for travel, was now mussed and slightly dirty, was very uncomfortable by this point. "It won't make Miranda come out faster."

"I know." Sheryl said miserably. "But, Tricia- - -she was so still when I found her..." Tyki sat up straighter, looking at his brother strangely.

"Sheryl..." The man shook his head, not wanting to hear- - -

Miranda stepped out of the healing tent. Her shoulder length hair, usually pulled back in some semblance of a bun as she worked on one of the troupe, was falling out of the tight wind, spilling around her shoulders and sticking to her face. She was slightly out of breath, and the usual black rings around her eyes were made even more pronounced by the dark bags that accompanied them underneath.

Sheryl turned to look at her and paled slightly.

"Tricia?" He asked quietly, almost as if he were afraid to hear the news. Miranda looked at him unblinkingly for a long time before a sigh escaped her mouth and she seemed to fall in on herself.

"She is fine, ja?" She said, relief coloring her voice. "She vill be sleeping heavily for the next few days, but she vill recover after about a week, especially if she stays in the medical tent." Sheryl sat next to his younger brother (more like collapsed, but the man had been put through his own Hell the night before). "You can go in and see her, if you vish."

Sheryl darted in, but Tyki declined with a shake of his head.

"I really must check on Allen and Rhode." He said calmly. "And change out of my performance outfit. Besides, I'll leave the love-sick idiot and his wife alone for some privacy." With a slight smile and the tip of his hat, Tyki left Miranda in the front of the tent.

* * *

><p>Hello. I haven't been around in a while. XD haha I'm sorry for those waiting for 'Hope, Faith, Family, and Love'- - -I can't seem to figure out where to go with it, and as such will have it on hiatus for a bit.<p>

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! 


	2. Chapter 2

The next year they met, it was pure coincidence.

Tyki, who had taken over Allen's shopping duties with their leader's order, had been digging in his pockets for the family wallet when he saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. He turned, instinctively, and ended up nose to nose with a pale face, flaming red hair, and emerald eye. He was suddenly grateful for his dark skin, as it hid the blush that covered his face.

"Hi!" The boy said, grinning wildly. "How are ya?" Tyki blinked at him once, confused. He wore his normal outfit- - -a long, baggy button up shirt (he got his clothes from Sheryl when the elder out grew them) that fell down to his thigh and worn pants that had seen better days. His hair was wild and all over the place, and overall, the days of walking alongside the caravan had gotten him rather dirty, and he hadn't had a chance to go in the river by where they set up and clean himself off.

On the other hand, this red-head boy was clearly well-off. He had a headband around his head, going over the string of a black eye patch on his right eye. He had a clean, fitted white shirt on, covered by a simple black coat lined with silver thread and an emerald scarf around his neck. His pale skin was red around the cheeks, and Tyki assumed the boy realized how close they were because two seconds later, he had backed away a bit.

"Anyway, you're Tyki, right?" At the question he almost missed, Tyki scowled, leaving his hand in his pocket; despite the sudden clench of his fist, as if preparing himself for a fight, he told himself it was to continue searching for the wallet.

"Who wants to know?" He asked smoothly, his gold eyes guarded as he tilted his head to the side. The boy laughed and shook his own head, his hair flying in all directions.

"No, no, you got me all wrong!" He held his hand out. "My name is Lavi; I'm part of the Bookman family." Tyki silently disregarded the hand, giving Lavi a distrustful look- - -he had had this happen to him once before, when a child higher up had offered his hand in friendship, only to have been punished cruelly by both the child and his family. The Earl had taken his suffering and turned it into a lesson and reminder to their entire group.

"I don't recall giving you my name." Tyki said coolly. Lavi's hand fell, his gaze turning inquisitive as he did.

"It isn't Tyki?" He asked curiously. "That's what Allen called you last time I saw you- - -was I wrong?" Tyki stared at him wordlessly and Lavi stared back. "Is it 'cause of my eye patch? I don't really need it. I'll take it off if it bothers you so much." He reached up slowly, hands going behind his neck as they rose to take off the black fabric.

"No!" Tyki's hand shot out before he could stop it, wrapping around the other's wrist to stop him. Lavi stared at him, his visible eye wide in shock; Tyki felt his flush darken, most likely becoming visible on his face, and he released Lavi's wrist with a small gasp. "My apologies, truly- - -"

"Wow!" Lavi exclaimed over him, drowning out Tyki's apology. "You move fast! That was amazing!" Tyki blinked again; this boy was throwing him off, trying to completely turn his opinions of peoples other than gypsies as horrible tricksters and wicked liars. Belatedly, he realized he had torn his hand out of his pocket and the man was still waiting for him to pay for the food he had grabbed.

Lavi watched with interest as Tyki shoved his hand back into his pocket, digging around in it as he searched.

"Lavi!" The call made both Lavi and Tyki look up, Lavi sheepishly and Tyki with slightly wide eyes. An old man, wearing a black coat that trailed onto the floor, came into view; Tyki noted absently that the man barely came up to the boy's shoulders. "Idiot boy, don't go wandering around by yourself." He turned sharp eyes, ringed in black, onto Tyki, and his eyes narrowed. "Who's this?"

"Ah?" Unused to being addressed, Tyki blinked a few times before answering. "My name is Tyki Mikk, sir." The man- - -Bookman, he assumed- - -studied him critically.

"Age?" Bookman asked, and Tyki held his shock back.

"Ten seasons as of Amalia." Tyki answered, wondering what the inquiries were for. Bookman studied him a bit longer before nodding his head once, seemingly coming to a decision though he still glared at Tyki distrustfully.

"I will not find any of my possessions missing, will I?" Beside him, Lavi stiffened in surprise and horror.

"I can't believe you would ask such a thing, Gramps!" He yelled out, horror in his voice at the same time Tyki shook his head slowly. The Bookman watched Tyki warily for a few moments.

"We make it a point not to steal." Tyki said coolly, finally locating the missing wallet buried underneath the vast amount of objects in his pocket that he carried around with him everyday. "As much as I'd like to stay, I really must get home." He pulled out some money, handing it to the man at the stall; with a smile and polite bow, Tyki took the food. "It was nice meeting you, Lavi-san, Bookman-sama."

"No, no formalities." Lavi said. "I'll walk with ya, ok?" Tyki stared at Lavi again, eyes wide before he shook his head.

"It's no problem, really." Lavi ignored him, waving at Bookman before falling in step with the retreating gypsy. As he couldn't get the boy to leave, Tyki allowed him to walk beside him. "How did you know my name?" Lavi grinned at him.

"Bookmen are trained to remember everything, no matter how small or insignificant." Tyki nodded and Lavi continued. "So, two years ago, when I met Allen- - -how is he, by the way? - - -I heard him call you 'Tyki'. I kind of assumed it was your name."

"Ah, I see…" Tyki trailed off, keeping his voice neutral and completely ignoring the question about Allen. Lavi didn't seem to notice, and for a while they walked in silence.

"You said you were ten seasons." Lavi started conversationally, jolting Tyki in surprise and making the other glance at him briefly. "Is that kind of like saying it in years? I'm nine years old, you know." Tyki didn't respond, deciding to watch the other out of the corner of his eye instead. Lavi seemed to notice, and he looked back. "Are you sure you don't want me to take off my eye patch? I don't mind it, really, and if you'd be more comfortable without it..."

"No, it's fine, Lavi." He said the name with hesitance, not sure what to do with the other boy. Lavi beamed at him, and despite having just met the boy, Tyki could feel something flutter in his stomach, like a Tease.

He squashed the feeling violently.

"Tyki-pon!" Came the voice of his clan's leader, and he stopped accordingly, Lavi behind him. Ignoring Lavi's startled sound, Tyki turn slightly and smiled.

Their clan leader, known only as the Millennium Earl to everyone and them, was bounding over wearing one of his usual ridiculous outfits. Today, it seemed, he decided on a pink top hat with roses covering the brim, as well as a bright pink suit with a whit shirt. He was wide, with an enormous smile that never seemed to leave his face. His glasses glinted humorously, hiding the piercing gaze behind the clear glass and the darkness the hat provided.

"Lord Millennium." Tyki bowed respectively. "I apologize if I took too long- - -I had trouble locating the wallet."

"Oh, it's no trouble, Tyki-pon!" The man said joyously. "I'm relieved to have all members of our troupe safe and sound amongst family again. Ah!" The Earl seemed to have just noticed Lavi, though Tyki knew that the man had been watching the red headed boy closely before they had even entered the camp. "Hello! Who is this, Tyki-pon?"

Tyki glanced unsurely at Lavi before shrugging with one shoulder.

"He claims to be part of the Bookman estate," Tyki said, feeling the Earl's gaze sharpen at his seemingly flippant answer; he met his clan leader's gaze evenly, showing that he had remembered his previous lesson. "His name, I believe, is Lavi."

"Pleasure to meet you, Lavi." The Earl said with his normal overly-joyful tone. "Excuse me, Tyki-pon, but I believe your niece will be awake soon, and your brother is still with his wife in the recovery tent. I expect food for Rhode shortly, and then you may do as you please until sunset."

"Thank you, Lord Millennium." Tyki bowed his head, turning to walk forward again. "Come along now, Lavi."

"And, Tyki?" Tyki stopped, but didn't turn. The fact that the Earl didn't add his normal suffix was enough to tell Tyki that his leader had something of importance to say. "Be careful, all right?" Tyki nodded once, hearing the warning underneath the Millennium Earl's pleasant tone, before taking off, Lavi at his heels.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So," Lavi stood precariously on a tree branch, hand pressed against the trunk. "You call yourself Tyki Mikk. Right?" Tyki watched, an amused look in his eye, as Lavi struggled to stay standing.

"That's right." He jumped, easily grabbing onto the lowest branch and pulling himself up. "Come, now, Lavi, it isn't that hard to stay on the branch- - -it won't snap." As if to prove his point, Tyki walked confidently backwards on the branch he and Lavi stood on, arms spread wide for show more than for balance. "See? It's simple!"

"Easy for you to say!" Lavi called back. Tyki raised an eyebrow questioningly- - -a bad habit he supposed he picked up from Cross- - -and motioned for Lavi to elaborate. "I saw you last year, when you were standing on top of that pole thing." Tyki's eyebrow rose higher, but Lavi didn't notice; he had taken to peering over the edge of the branch, as if calculating how far down he would fall if he slipped. "It looked so amazing, but it something I would never be able to do, no question about it."

"Because you're from the Bookman clan?" Tyki asked curiously. Lavi grinned at him, apparently pleased with whatever conclusion he came up with; he stepped towards Tyki, his eyes continually darting from Tyki's face to the branch then the ground.

"Actually, Gramps found me in the street." Lavi sat on the tree gingerly as soon as he reached Tyki, swinging his feet slightly. "A Bookman isn't really allowed to have feelings or anything. Actually, most of the time, we stay in our home. If Gramps had his way, I'm sure he'd never leave."

"So how does the Bookman line continue?" Lavi grinned.

"See, that is where I come in." Lavi said. "Bookmen usually go find a young boy and train them to become the next Bookman. Until Gramps found me, I was just a kid on the side of the road." Tyki glanced down at Lavi; the red head was staring at the sky with a wide-eyed look on his face. "I have a lot to thank him for, really."

Tyki made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat; there was that stupid warm feeling in his stomach again, only this time it refused to be squashed so easily. His Tease came by, the butterfly hovering around Lavi before landing on Tyki's shoulder. The red head watched with a wide green eye.

"Can I touch it?" He asked softly, as if trying not to scare the butterfly away.

"No." Tyki said firmly. "This is a special butterfly Lord Millennium gave me to own and train. They're carnivorous, and this one is especially prone to biting." Lavi drew his hand back with a slight wince.

"Really?" Despite not reaching out again, Lavi stood carefully and leaned forward to inspect the butterfly better, placing his hands on Tyki's arms to keep himself steady. Tyki felt his heart pound a bit faster, a bit louder, and couldn't help the flush that came over his face.

"Kak!" A small girl of five seasons ran up to them. "Kak Tyki!" The sudden voice startled the two enough to break them apart; Tyki had to grab Lavi's arm to ensure the boy didn't fall from the tree and injure himself, but the space between them had grown exponentially.

"Rhode?" He questioned, leaning over to see the girl. Her purple-blue hair, falling half way down her back, was pulled into a messy ponytail at her nape, and in her arms was a worn bear that Rhode had carried around since she was a baby. She wore a long shirt, one of his own, and his clothes were so big on her that one shoulder was visible through the area where her head went through. There was a black belt tied firmly around her waist, and her small feet were bare, free to dig in the earth as she pleased.

"Daj sent me." She said, crossing her arms. "She says that it's almost time to eat, and you need to prepare for the show." Rhode's golden eyes shifted over to Lavi, and her smile widened. "Hello."

"You need to get going, Kak Tyki, Lero!" She pulled the bear up to hide her face as her tone took on a higher-pitched, scratchy quality to it. "Rhode's Daj won't be pleased if you skip dinner, and Lord Millennium will be even less pleased if you don't come in time for the show!"

"He's right, you know." Rhode said sweetly, though her eyes narrowed with venom at Lavi. "Come, Kak Tyki, we mustn't be late."

"All right, all right, calm down." Tyki jumped carelessly off the branch, landing on his feet on the earth below. "I'll be along shortly, ok, Rhode?" He said fondly, pulling a lock of her hair up to his lips and pressing a kiss to it. "Tell your Daj I'll be home soon, ok?" Rhode nodded before pulling Lero up again.

"Just make sure you hurry, Kak Tyki!" The 'bear' cried, and Tyki patted the bear's head with a laugh.

"I will, I will." He looked up at Lavi, who was staring at him in disbelief. "Are you going to stand up there gaping at me or are you going to get down anytime soon, Lavi?" The red head shook his awe off and began making his way back to the trunk of the tree.

"Don't laugh at me." He said, blushing furiously. "That was amazing, though." Tyki smirked, touching the brim of his imaginary hat as he fell into a bow.

"Only the best from the clan of Noah." He said proudly. Beside him, Rhode giggled.

"Lord Millennium is in search of you," She sang hauntingly as Lavi climbed down. Tyki jumped slightly, not realizing the girl had stayed with the two. "Looking for the Heart now, have you heard the news?" Her eyes narrowed again at Lavi as the boy's feet touched the ground. "Maybe you stole it from him? I'll see if it's true..."

"Rhode..." Tyki started, touching the girl's head, but she moved it off as Lero hid her face again.

"Lord Millennium is in search of you," The 'bear' sang on. "Looking for the Heart now, have you heard the news?" Tyki touched her head again, placing the other on Lero's head, but she didn't seem to notice. "I was not the one you sought, maybe it is you..."

"Rhode, calm down please." Her 'bear' dropped slightly, making only her gold eyes visible to Lavi.

"Who is it that has my Heart? I will find you soon." She finished hauntingly. Lavi blanched and backed away slowly, his emerald eye wide in surprise, his hands held out in peace. Tyki groaned slightly and placed his face in his hands. Rhode smiled sweetly, holding Lero up again. "Thank you for keeping Kak Tyki entertained, sir." She said, her voice oozing false sweetness. Only her eyes, narrowed in burning hatred, showed the girl's true feelings towards the boy. "You should come and play again soon."

"That's enough, Rhode." Tyki said firmly, picking the smaller girl up and placing her on his shoulders. "Hold tight to Lero, now. We don't want him to fall off and get hurt, now, do we?" Rhode used one hand to cling to her uncle and the other to tighten her grip on Lero. Tyki turned to Lavi, mimicking a bow as his niece was now on his shoulders. "Farewell, Lavi. Feel free to come to the show tonight as well, if you wish."

"Dinner, Lero!" The 'bear' cried from Tyki's shoulders, and he laughed.

"Calm, Lero, I'm coming." The boy waved once more at Lavi before walking back towards their camp.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki relished in his position in the sky, high above anyone and everyone. It gave him a sense of calm, knowing that as he was currently, he was virtually untouchable by the people below him. His Tease fluttered around him, the biggest on his shoulder.

"Ladies and gentlemen," He called, his voice booming over the crowd. Everyone looked up in surprise. "Tonight, we have a special show for a special little lady." He spread his arms wide, and the curtain opened to reveal Rhode.

She was wearing a brand new dress that Tricia made for her. It was pink, falling just past her knees in flowing layers. The top part had a corset-like design on the front, decorated with elaborate swirls in dark thread. Her sleeves were cinched around her upper arms, clinging tightly to her skin before flowing gracefully down in a water-like fashion. Long purple-blue hair was pulled into a crown braid around her head, showing off the cross tattoos she had across her forehead, and in her right arm was Lero as usual. Decorating her hair was a special shawl that Tyki himself had bought for her, a pink that matched the color of her dress. It hung on her hair, held in place by the braided crown, and had coins and beads specially sewn to it so that when she moved, it made a joyful little 'tinkle' sound. She was still barefoot, but the beauty of her dress and the way she smiled happily, waving at everyone she could see, distracted attention from that fact.

It was amusing that this was all Rhode really wanted her sixth birthday.

"We'll hear a special song that the young Rhode Kamelot would sing for us." He bowed down to his niece carefully from his perch; she beamed at him and waved vibrantly. "I know it is not part of our normal show, but it is Mistress Rhode's birthday today."

The small girl looked around at the enormous crowd of people. Taking a deep breath as if to steel herself, she snuck a glance first at Tyki, then at her mother and father watching from the sidelines, silently asking for support. All smiled encouragingly, and she stepped forward, her right arm tightening slightly on Lero. Allen, just slightly older than Rhode and talented on the violin, started playing, Mana and Cross joining him to provide music for the six year old.

"You're in my stars you know," She started, and once she did Rhode seemed to lose herself in the song. "Don't need no crystal ball to tell me so. Whispering in the air, hoping that my words find you somewhere." Rhode spun around on stage, her hair piece making its cheerful noise and her dress flowing around her legs, her bare feet moving in a rhythm only she seemed able to hear and create. "Even when I close my eyes, I'll never recreate the Time that flies. The consequence is hanging there- - -The sky will fall but I don't care."

Rhode's body began to follow her feet's rhythm, her body flowing as naturally as a six-year-old's can. She began to move from the center stage, taking up the whole platform to enchant as many people as she could, her golden eyes shut as she danced alone.

"Meet me beneath my balcony and say, no one but you could ever fill my night." Rhode's eyes opened and she smiled entrancingly sweet. "Be the sunlight in my every day; underneath my balcony I'll say no one but you could ever fill my night. Be the sunlight in my every day."

Tyki, from his perch on top of the world, on top of his safety net, saw a flash of red he had already began associating with Lavi Bookman Jr. He smiled when he saw Lavi just as entranced with his niece as everyone else was, the red head's emerald eyes (both of them- - -it appeared the boy liked his sight being perfect in the darkness of the night) locked onto the flowing six year old on stage.

"Your love is haunting me, and all I want is more to set me free." Rhode's eyes opened again, lazily, her moves getting sluggish as she struggled all the more to stay up past her bedtime; instead of disturbing the rhythm of the song and dance, it added to it, making it more ethereal, more beautiful. "Whispering in the air, hoping that my words find you somewhere. Do you hear me call your name? I know we will never be the same." She spun in a lazy circle, her eyes drooping, a sleep-filled smile taking over her face. "The consequence is hanging there. The sky will fall but I don't care."

Tyki jumped, landing beside his niece as she stumbled gracefully and lost her footing. He caught her before her body even decided to fall. Picking the girl up gently, her face burrowing into his chest, Lero getting squished between them as her left arm hung towards the ground. Pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead, Tyki turned to the audience.

"Our pakvora therno princess has worn herself out." Tyki called, bowing as best he could with his slumbering niece. "Thank you all for humoring a child." Smiling wickedly at the audience, Tyki allowed his Tease to take flight from his shoulder, making the others fly out of his outfit as well as he and Rhode vanished backstage.

I'm still unhappy with this chapter, but it's refusing to cooperate with me. So, here it is. Emilie Autumn is an amazing artist, in a way. XD this is her song, 'Juliet'.

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle

Daj=mother

Pakvora=beautiful

Therno=young 


	3. Chapter 3

"Why does everyone call me a Moyashi?" Allen asked furiously, sitting in between Tyki and Rhode, the girl giggling as she hugged Lero to her tightly and stuck her tongue out at Jasdero and Devito, sitting across from Allen and Tyki.

The Millennium Earl ate peacefully, ignoring Cross' drunken calls and attempts at wooing one of the women in their troupe. Mana sat beside the man, ignoring the idiocy next to him as he ate, his body tense (the man had picked up a strange cough that refused to leave him a few seasons back; thankfully, it had not affected his work as a magician too much). Sheryl sat across from Rhode, eating calmly despite the worried look in his eye that kept him glancing in the direction of the healing tent where his wife lay- - -she had picked up a strange illness before they reached the town, and Miranda had been working tirelessly to bring her health back up.

None of the adults took much notice of the children.

"Maybe it's cause you're so damn small." Devito taunted, shoveling food in his mouth and wincing slightly when Tyki kicked his shin. The younger stuck his tongue out at him, ignoring the warning look Tyki sent him. "I mean, you're already eight seasons old, and you're smaller than me and 'Dero."

"I'll get taller!" Allen made a face at Devito. "And you're not supposed to use bad words like that, Devi." Devito stuck his tongue out at Allen as well. Unable to resist, Allen retaliated before continuing. "Anyway, if I'm so small, why'd you give me Rhode's bear when I asked for him earlier today?"

"Lero!" Rhode added in a squeaky, high pitched voice, holding the bear in front of her face. "Yes, Lero! Why listen to such a small fry, Lero?"

"Rhode, Lero, not you two too!" Allen wailed. Across the table, Jasdero giggled madly, his tangled blonde hair falling into his food as he leaned over to draw invisible designs on the table.

"Too, too, to, two, two...five." He laughed insanely again at his own words. Devito shoved his face into the food in front of him, resting his arm nonchalantly on top of the blonde head for a moment before removing it.

"That's 'cause Tyki was behind you and he was giving us an extremely good imitation of the Earl's Look." Allen whined unintelligibly and turned accusing silver eyes on Tyki. Tyki, in return, raised an eyebrow at his cousin.

"I was nowhere in the vicinity." He lied smoothly, drinking from his cup. Jasdero had lifted his head from his plate, trying to get the food off his face and dumping some of it on Devito's head. "I had already been in the town..." At the sentence, Devito seemed to forget about attacking Jasdero; as one, they both turned, their gold eyes (honestly, how did the Millennium Earl find people with gold eyes?) sparkling in amusement.

"In the town, huh?" Devito repeated calmly, ignoring Jasdero as he giggled again, mimicking 'town, town, town...'. Tyki's eyebrow went further up, and the boy of eleven seasons leaned onto the table.

"You have a theory on what I was doing in town that does not include our normal obtaining of food." Tyki said; it wasn't a question. "You have a largely false assumption." Devito blinked, leaning back in his seat and twirling one of the gold guns that had been a present to the two on their last birthday; his golden eyes glanced quickly at the Millennium Earl before he opened his mouth.

"I don't understand half of what you just said." He started, almost whining. "It's not fair- - -we haven't started schooling with the Earl yet." Tyki shrugged, a small smile on his face.

"Kak Tyki means that you have the wrong idea about what he was doing in town." Rhode told them, sending a sweet smile at Tyki. Devito laughed, spinning the gun faster.

"I think it's right." He said smugly, a smirk growing on his face.

"Yes!" Jasdero giggled, choosing that moment to actually focus on their conversation, his own gold eyes wide. "Especially because you took so much longer this time, and you came home much dirtier than usual." Tyki opened his mouth to retaliate.

"Boys, boys!" The Earl said lightly, his joyous voice cutting all conversations and causing everyone to look at him. "Leave our poor Tyki-pon alone. However," his glasses glinted and there was a curious and slightly malicious aura around him. "Devito has a point, my boy. I had meant to question you after dinner, but what took you so long?"

"My apologies, Lord Millennium." Tyki said, placing his glass down on the table. He caught Sheryl's eye briefly, and his older brother smiled slightly. "I had noticed something rather new in town- - -there appears to be a carnival coming through town this month. It should be here within the next week or so." There was truth in his statement. Lavi had shown him the paper when they'd finally gone to get groceries, talking excitedly about clowns and games and such. Tyki hadn't said much at the time, but he had glared at the paper in the red-head's hands as if it had offend him personally (in a way, it had- - -he hated carnivals with a passion, as it seemed their mere existence took away from his family's lifestyle and gave traveling performers like them a horrible reputation).

The Millennium Earl's glasses flashed again as everyone began hushed conversations about the carnival that was soon to be taking up performance space; Tyki knew he was cleared.

"Don't worry too much about the carnival, everyone." He laughed, once again stopping everyone's conversations. They looked at each other then at him, curious. "They're fun things, things that should be appreciated. After all, nothing lasts for too long- - -chances are, they'll be on their way shortly. Eat, everyone, eat! We've got a big season ahead of us!"

As everyone resumed eating and their previous conversations, Rhode and Lero leaned over Allen, looking at Tyki curiously.

"Devi is right, Lero!" The girl started with Lero's voice.

"He is," She continued with her own, her tan face resting on the bear's head as her blue-purple hair framed her face. There was a blatant curiosity in her voice, her eyes demanding answer from her beloved kak. "Unfortunately. Just a bit, anyway, because it doesn't explain why you were so dirty coming back home, Kak Tyki. You aren't clumsy, so what happened?"

Tyki looked his niece over- - -the girl was seven seasons old now, the only one in their entire clan to have been born among them instead of found somewhere while traveling. She was one of the main family girls, one of the only ones in fact, and as such she was spoiled rotten by everyone. Even Lulubell, one of the first found, always found some way to get the girl what she wanted (at least, in her own roundabout, supposedly uncaring way).

"I must have been like that before I went to town." He said casually, picking up his glass again; despite being children, all they had were wine glasses to drink from, and so while he was not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages just yet, Tyki, as well as all the other children, were just as adept to using them as the adults were.

"Hm." Rhode didn't believe him; it was clear in the way her own gold eyes narrowed thoughtfully, but she sat back down and continued to eat without much of a second thought.

Tyki sighed internally with relief- - -despite his outward calm appearance, his heart was fluttering so loudly in his chest, he was surprised the Millennium Earl himself couldn't hear it.

He had run into Lavi in town again. Only this time, the red head had grabbed his hand and (completely ignoring the fact that Tyki hadn't had a chance to clean himself, or had no shoes, as he had taken them off as soon as they'd finished traveling) dragged him down to the forest at the edge of the Bookman estate. They had ended up playing some sort of running game where Lavi had to try and catch Tyki; Tyki had been so focused on not getting caught he'd ended up tripping over something, a tree root most likely, and behind him, Lavi had no time to stop.

He'd barreled into Tyki, and the two of them ended up wrestling on the ground. Every now and then Lavi would gain the upper hand; then Tyki would do something- - -twist his body just so, or use his weight to turn the red head that way- - -and then they'd be at it again. Tyki would pin Lavi down, and the red head would buck his hips, throwing him off balance and then roll them over, and their match would continue.

It ended when Tyki pinned Lavi down fully, one had against the ground firmly and the other holding the red head's wrists down on his chest in a gentle yet tight hold. Both boys had been panting harshly from exertion, trying to draw air into oxygen deprived lungs, their faces flushed. Tyki had sweat making trails down the dirt on his face, and Lavi had lost both his headband and his eye patch, his hair as wild as Tyki's. Tyki felt Lavi's heart beat erratically, knowing his own heart was pounding just as hard from the exercise (but glad nonetheless that the younger red head couldn't feel it). Their eyes met and Lavi had grinned, saying something about accepting defeat and issuing a challenge for another time.

And Tyki had felt the Tease-like feeling in his stomach again, the one that refused to be crushed, and had more or less thrown himself backwards off of Lavi. The red head had leaned up onto his hands, his arms shaking, and looked at Tyki curiously before something seemed to hit them both at the same time. Emerald eyes met gold again, panic filling them.

"The groceries!" They'd cried, and then they were racing each other back to the marketplace, Lavi laughing at who knows what. Once in town, Tyki had searched his pockets, breathing an internal sigh of relief when he found the wallet still in his pockets. He hurriedly grabbed what they needed, Lavi behind him and getting what he was told to grab.

They looked at one another when they finished getting what groceries Tyki need, and with nothing to talk about, Lavi brought up the carnival. He chattered endlessly about it until they reached the edge of town; once there, Tyki had promised to meet him later so that way the boy wouldn't follow him.

The last thing he wanted was another of the Earl's reminders to be on guard around this boy who was so willingly open with Tyki.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oi, Tyki." The brunette turned curiously from the mirror he had in the room he shared with Allen. Devito had stuck his head in, Jasdero's just below it. Both boys were grinning. "There's some kid out front looking for you."

"Now?" Tyki sighed, adjusting the sleeves so that they didn't fall so far past his fingertips- - -he still got his clothes from his older brother.

"Yes now." Devito snapped slightly, while Jasdero sang 'you, you, you' over and over again under his breath. They both ignored the blonde. "He's been going around, asking where to find you."

"All right, all right." Tyki sighed as his mind raced- - -was Lavi looking for him? "I'll be out shortly." The boys nodded and disappeared at the same time. With a slight sigh, Tyki grabbed his black hat and placed it on his head. After a moment of thinking, he also grabbed his jacket, just in case he didn't have time to return for it before the show.

As he stepped out, a few other people reminded him of the boy searching for him. They remembered the general direction he went in after they finished speaking with him, but by the time Tyki appeared there, he was gone. With a noise of frustration, Tyki turned on his heel- - -

- - -and nearly ran right over the red head looking for him.

"Tyki!" Lavi cried out, startled. He stepped back a bit, his cheeks flushed darkly as they nearly collided.

"Lavi." The gypsy said calmly. "Did you need something?"

"You said you'd come back, and you haven't come to town yet." Lavi said, turning darker. "So I came here." As Lavi spoke, Tyki noticed a young woman looking at the two of them out of the corner of his eye. She pretended to be intent on working, but every now and then he saw her lips moving as if she were talking to the old woman beside her.

With a slight scowl, Tyki took Lavi's wrist and pulled.

"Come, we'll go to the field to talk." Lavi agreed and followed, his choice hindered by the fact of Tyki holding his wrist firmly.

As soon as they reached the tree, Tyki climbed up effortlessly, Lavi following pursuit. The red head inched his way out to sit on the branch, hanging above the ground as he talked endlessly about the past couple of days. Tyki stayed by the trunk, standing on the branch and watching the red head out of the corner of his eye. He felt something strange, something he hadn't felt before, as he ignored Lavi in favor of his unasked question.

He wasn't sure Lavi would believe his sincerity, or if Lavi would even accept. There was another Tease-like feeling in his stomach again, but this was worse than it usually was, something that wouldn't go away. Before he could decipher what it was he was feeling- - -

"Suppose something comes from this." Tyki said suddenly in the midst of Lavi's nearly one-sided conversation, causing the red head to pause and look at him curiously. The gypsy ignored the look, watching the sun set in the distance. "Suppose something came from us being some...some type of friends, or such. Would you come with us if you could?"

"What are you talking about?" Lavi asked incredulously, pulling off his eye patch so he could see Tyki better. Tyki looked at him now, his gold eyes narrowed slightly.

"I could ask Lord Millennium, and you could join us." He said seriously. Lavi gaped at him emerald eyes wide. "Since you're still a child, it wouldn't be too hard for you to join, I'd think. So I ask once again, if you could join us, would you?" Lavi blinked once before smiling widely.

"Of course I'd go!" He cried out. "I wouldn't pass the opportunity to go out and see the world, especially if it's with you!"

Tyki felt his nerves (nerves! As if he'd been nervous or afraid to ask; Tyki scolded himself quietly as he pondered what it was about this boy that made his heart flutter and his nerves, of all things, act up), as on edge as they had never been before, calm down greatly at the red head's answer. He touched the trunk of the tree they were in gently, feeling a small smile forming on his face.

"So I'll tell Bookman that I'm going to go with you guys and be a gypsy now." Lavi continued, swinging his legs as this time, he stared out at the sunset. "I'll meet you out here tomorrow, but way before showtime," Lavi grinned apologetically, and Tyki waved off the silent apology, "and I'll tell you what the panda says, ok?"

"Agreed." Tyki nodded once. Lavi beamed at him, and with it came the return of the cursed feeling. Tyki cleared his throat, touching the brim of his hat as he tried fervently to ignore it. "Lord Millennium will be looking for me soon. I should be going."

"Right." Lavi watched as Tyki jumped off the branch, mindless about high they were, and easily land on the ground. Lavi began making his way towards the trunk of the tree so he could climb down as soon as the gypsy boy landed. "I need to talk to Bookman as soon as possible anyway. See you tomorrow, Tyki!" He waved.

"Until tomorrow, Lavi." Tyki called back, waving once and then touching the brim of his hat and bowing, a Tease appearing on his shoulder as he did so. The purple butterfly bit his shoulder, making him wince subtly as he began walking again. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He murmured to it. "Calm. We'll make it before the show starts."

The next day, Tyki waited for Lavi to come- - -they had not really set a specific time, so Tyki had gone out after lunch and climbed into the tree to amuse himself. As the hours passed, Tyki felt himself growing more and more bored. He kept an eye on the sun- - -he'd have to leave when the sun hit the horizon, as he still had to get ready for that night's show. If he stood, he could see the carnival setting up just a ways away. They weren't prepared to open just yet, so Tyki imagined they had a couple of days to perform before everyone went to the carnival.

He glowered at the colorful set up, but didn't move from his spot.

Hanging upside down on the branch, Tyki made a slight face when a Tease landed on his nose. With little effort, Tyki pulled himself more firmly onto the branch, moving back until he met the trunk of the tree. Settling himself comfortably against the trunk, Tyki tried to reason with the Tease on his nose.

"Just a little longer, then we'll go." He promised. The Tease bit his nose. "OW! I could stay here all night if I chose to, you know." The purple butterfly bit harder. "OW! Will you stop that?" Tyki snarled slightly, letting out another pained cry when the Tease bit even harder before he could yank it gently off his face. Holding the wings spread open between his hands, Tyki glared at it. "You aren't helping." He sighed, lowering the Tease into his lap and releasing its wings. It fluttered them slowly before taking flight and perching itself on his shoulder. "I suppose it's my fault, though, isn't it?"

The Tease fluttered on his shoulder, its wings brushing Tyki's face. It seemed that the older and bigger Tyki got, the bigger the purple butterfly got as well. It was still just bigger than his palm, but his palm was slightly bigger now that he was eleven seasons instead of just eight.

"Maybe this was wrong, asking him to join." Tyki tried rationalize. "After all, we hardly need the gajengi baxt that would come with his joining." The Tease fluttered again, almost encouraging, as Tyki stood once more and watched as the sun touched the horizon. "It'll be showtime soon. Let's go."

With that, Tyki jumped effortlessly off the tree branch and headed towards his family's camp, determinedly ignoring the disappointed feeling slowly filling him up.

I have newfound inspiration for this story! XD haha no, I kid. I just know where it's headed now- - -I have something of a plan in my mind. Anyway, I suppose this can be dedicated to last chapter's reviewers, two of whom have been reviewing with dedication on my other LUCKY story. To d-gray-geek: darling, you need a profile. XD I could get back to you so much faster that way. Haha, but yes, I did a bit of research for this. It's still horribly inaccurate, because I only really learned a little bit about a gypsy's occupation, and a few words, but I suppose research is research. XD And to Yueaifeng, who started following me with the start of this story and has been reviewing as diligently as d-gray-geek, as well as to Voltairey, who truly stunned me with her review of last chapter. XD thanks, guys! XD

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle

Gajengi baxt=bad luck, luck of a non-gypsy 


	4. Chapter 4

Tyki closed his eyes as he allowed himself to sit on the floor beside one of the caravans. He leaned against the wooden wheel, his face towards the sun as he basked in its warmth.

It had been a long while since they were last here. The Millennium Earl had decided that they needed a change of scenery, and when their last season here ended, he'd taken them farther North than they'd ever been before. They had all relished the chance to see snow, a cold, white substance that a majority of them had seen before and missed.

The change in scenery helped Tyki as well. After Lavi had promised to speak with Bookman, he hadn't seen the red head for the rest of the season. He even snuck into town a couple of times, and not once had he run into the boy. It bugged him to no end that Lavi would make such a promise and then vanish. At eleven seasons, he hadn't been heartbroken per say, but he'd felt betrayed enough to realize Lavi had somehow managed to trick him. He'd been furious: at Lavi for acting as open and friendly as he did before turning around and proving himself to be no better than anyone else he'd ever met as a gypsy, but more towards himself. He clearly hadn't learned from the last time such a thing had happened to him, and Tyki could also remember feeling relief that it had somehow slipped his mind to ask the Earl about Lavi joining their troupe. It would have been harder to deal with Lavi's harsh rejection by himself if the Millennium Earl knew about it as well. As it was, he'd had a difficult time alone this time, but Tyki felt now that back then, he should have known better than to ask such a foolish question to a boy who had what Tyki didn't- - -a warm home (not that he really wanted to be stuck in one place anyway), the respect of people in his town, and money for things he wanted.

Who really wanted to abandon their life when they lived in such a way to travel with gypsies anyway?

"It isn't fair!" Rhode's voice rang out, and Tyki's eyes snapped open just in time to see the girl coming over. She plopped herself down on the ground next to him, grumbling to herself for a few moments. "Kak, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, darling." He murmured in response, hugging the girl to his side. Her hair was long and matted, a result of traveling the long distances they did, and she had pulled it over her shoulder to pick at the knots that had formed. Her gold eyes met his and she pouted at him.

"How old were you when you started performing?" Tyki blinked in surprise at the question, but thought carefully. He had had to wait a couple of seasons before he could start, he knew; most of that time had been taken up by training the Tease as best he could, though he had still been training them long after he had started performing, and learning to balance properly on smaller and higher bases.

"I believe..." Tyki thought back carefully, trying to do the math in his head. "I believe I was seven seasons. Why do you ask?" Rhode pouted more.

"And Allen was eight seasons when he started." She muttered. "Even Jasdero and Devito have been given permission to begin this season, and they're eight seasons as well, almost nine seasons. Why can't I?" Tyki's eyebrow rose in surprise- - -so that was the reason.

"It's because you're our darling." He said, fingers in her hair as if to help get the tangles out. "You're still our little princess. Besides, Lulubell doesn't perform, now, does she?" Rhode squirmed but shook her head. "You aren't the only one, then."

"But I did for my birthday!" She cried, sitting up properly. Before Tyki could respond, she stood in front of him. "Tell me I'm not ready to perform."

"You are not ready to perform." Tyki repeated almost instantly, laughing slightly when she let out a noise of frustration.

"Really look at me, Kak Tyki, and tell me I'm not ready." Rhode insisted. Tyki sighed, but decided to humor his younger niece.

Her hair had grown as she did. Even tangled and matted as it was now, the blue-purple locks fell to her waist. Lero was back in the room she shared with Lulubell, as she insisted she no longer needed to carry what had been her near constant companion since birth any longer. She was wearing one of Tyki's shirts, as usual, and underneath the semi-white button up material were black pants that hugged her legs tightly, the material worn slightly and filthy from traveling. Her hands were on the black belt that hugged the shirt to her hips, her weight placed firmly on one side of her body. Her head was tilted the opposite way as Tyki's eyes raked up and down her form, her gold eyes daring him to tell her she wasn't ready. Being ten seasons, she had only just begun to develop into the woman she would soon be, and Tyki wondered absentmindedly if she would be married soon. She was barefoot, as she usually was when they weren't traveling, and she shifted slightly, crossing her arms just under her chest. The action brought attention to the fact that she was growing up, her developing breasts making a small yet noticeable bump against the dirty white material; when Tyki's eyes met hers again, she raised a delicate eyebrow in mock of Tyki as she waited for his response.

"Well?" She demanded slightly, her bare foot tapping against the hard packed dirt below her. Tyki smiled as he stood. Leaning down, he grabbed her crossed arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Kak Tyki, that doesn't answer my question!"

"I'll see if I can't convince Lord Millennium to allow you to perform, at least for this season." Tyki said as he pulled back. Her face split into a wide grin, and she threw her arms around Tyki's waist as soon as he released them.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Her voice was muffled by his chest, and Tyki laughed slightly. Patting her head, he hugged her tightly before releasing her once more.

"All right, all right." He murmured in her ear. "Let me go speak to Lord Millennium now." She let him go instantly. Out of the corner of his eye, Tyki watched as Allen headed into town, a dejected look on his face. "Darling, why don't you go with Allen into town to get the groceries?" Rhode followed Tyki's gaze, and her gold eyes turned sad and pained.

"This season is the second season, isn't it? It really hit him hard, huh?" She murmured back. "Allen hasn't ever been the same since." Tyki looked a bit upset as well, still watching Allen.

The further North they had gotten, the sicker Mana had become. Miranda had been beside herself, often staying up two or three days in a row to nurse the man properly. He had seemed stable until they came across a town called Maitek; then, his health plummeted so suddenly, it stunned them all.

Nobody took his death harder than Allen did. The boy, who had barely been nine seasons, couldn't handle the death of the man who had been like a father to him. Tyki had Rhode moved into their room once more, as the boy had been plagued by nightmares. More often than not, Rhode ended up with Allen's face against her neck, his arms around her waist, as she tried to soothe him. She seemed to be the only one who could calm him, as she had always been the one closest to Allen, and she took the duty with ease. Now, with Allen being eleven seasons, the memory of Mana's death on his birthday made the boy unwilling to do much on his adoptive father's death anniversary.

With a sad sigh, Rhode leaned up and pressed a kiss to Tyki's cheek. Murmuring a 'don't forget, ok?' against his cheek, Rhode turned and ran after Allen; Tyki watched with a mixture of sadness and amusement as she launched herself at Allen, her arms wrapping around the pale boy's waist from behind as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. Chuckling quietly at Allen's surprised noise and the way he nearly fell with Rhode's weight suddenly at his back, Tyki smiled slightly when the boy's face brightened a bit.

"Do your best to distract him, darling." He murmured. A hand fell on his shoulder, and he turned slightly to come face to face with the Millennium Earl. "Ah, Lord Millennium."

"Tyki." For a moment, they watched Rhode and Allen walk towards town together, Rhode skipping and singing behind the pale boy. "I want to talk to you, young man." Tyki turned, intrigued. Though he couldn't see the man's eyes, as usual, Tyki could tell this would be an extremely serious conversation. The Earl hadn't added a suffix to his name, and for the first time Tyki could remember, his leader had referred to him as 'young man', which meant...

"Y-Yes, Lord Millennium?" The man didn't answer for a moment. Tyki felt his face loose blood. Surely, the Millennium Earl didn't want to talk...about...

"What am I to do about your niece?" The Millennium Earl wailed suddenly. Tyki blinked in surprise and confusion. "I know she wants to perform, and I would love nothing more than to let her, but she's still so young!"

For a moment, Tyki couldn't think of a response. Then a smile graced his face, and he couldn't help but shake his head.

"I think," He said slowly, looking out at the disappearing couple, and ignoring the relief that filled his body, "that Rhode is more than old enough to make her own decisions about that. She's very adamant about performing, Lord Millennium. Perhaps it would be wise to let her, for this season at least." The man had been nodding as if Tyki's suggestion made sense; his hand went into the air as an idea struck him.

"I'll have Tricia make an outfit for her, then!" He said cheerfully. "She'll perform as soon as possible- - -our little singing princess." Tyki laughed slightly as the Earl walked away, but the older man had taken no more than two steps before pausing. "Are we going to see Lavi-pon anytime soon, hm?"

Tyki froze at the words that were carefully spoken- - -it meant the Millennium Earl had learned about Lavi in some way, at some point. The leader of their troupe knew the reason behind all his past forced smiles and brushed off questions about how he felt. He forced himself to relax, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought back. It was no matter if the Millennium Earl knew or not- - -the Bookman's red headed apprentice and so-called heir wouldn't be stopping by to visit.

"No, he shouldn't show up around here anytime soon." He answered calmly. The Earl nodded once.

"It was a prikasa to allow him to get so close, Tyki." He winced slightly at that. It was a slight jab, almost as if he had been told he had been the reason Mana died, albeit indirectly. For a moment, he wondered what would have been different if Lavi hadn't gotten so close. Would Mana still have died, causing Allen to look like something in his heart had been crushed, if Lavi had remained as far away as possible?

Tyki sighed, whirling around to face the leader and ask, but the man was already gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where are they?" Sheryl bit his finger nervously, Tricia placing a hand on his arm. Her eyes were just as worried as her husband's, though, and neither seemed to know what to do. Tyki paced back and forth, reminding himself of Mana when Allen had gotten lost in the town buying groceries long ago. The Earl had loved to tease Mana, telling him he was such an over protective father for someone who had no children of his own.

"I'm going out to find them." Tyki said finally, heading for the edge of the tent, his golden eyes hard and determined.

As he neared the entrance of the tent, Lulubell grabbed his arm firmly, her gold eyes gazing blankly into his.

"No."

"She's right, Tyki-pon." The Earl sat by the fire, looking as though he were calmly sitting and knitting. Only the main family could see the tenseness in his fingers, the strain in his voice as he worked on keeping the worry he felt for his two missing favorites out. "You can't hope to accomplish much in such a storm."

"I'm going to try anyway. It's better than sitting around and waiting for them to come back." Tyki pulled his arm free of Lulubell's grasp and raced towards the town, the storm instantly soaking him completely.

He ran through the streets, glad that everyone was inside- - -it made searching for his niece and cousin that much more easier. The notion of them also being indoors refused to enter his mind. If they were indoors, they could be in trouble, and he had problems thinking of his small niece in trouble.

And Allen...Allen had gone through enough the past three seasons, had he not?

Shaking his head, Tyki turned a corner only to ram right into someone, the both of them falling to the ground with a splashing noise.

"I'm so sorry!" The other person yelled. Tyki shook his head, standing up slightly shakily as he tried to push his hair out of his face.

"It's fine!" He yelled back. Above them, thunder rumbled and rain pelted them even harder. "Shit!" Tyki stood up, ignoring the fact that his white shirt was semi-see through and absolutely filthy. Absentmindedly pulling the other to their feet, Tyki's eyes traced the road he was about to go down.

There were so many places they could be...

"...ki? Tyki!" With a jolt, Tyki turned his head so quickly he felt something crack in his neck. Staring back at him, his emerald eyes wide and disbelieving yet incredibly happy (well, eye- - -the idiot seemed to not want to part with his eye patch), was none other than Lavi.

Tyki stared back at him with his mind blank. He had no idea what he was supposed to do in a situation like this, but Lavi clearly did. The red head threw his arms around Tyki, hugging the older gypsy to him tightly as if he was afraid Tyki would disappear.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" The boy yelled in his ear. Tyki was so stunned he didn't do much, just stood there. After a moment, Lavi pulled back, confused. "Tyki...?"

The gypsy snapped out of it when Lavi called his name again. Scowling lightly- - -the boy was, what, thirteen now?- - -Tyki pushed the million questions and accusations he had to the back of his mind.

"Have you seen Rhode or Allen?" He yelled back. Lavi beamed.

"I was just headed towards the camp. Follow me." Slightly distrustful, Tyki obliged, making sure Lavi stayed in his sights at all times.

Lavi had gotten taller, but Tyki was still that much taller than he was. The red hair was matted down and darkened by the rain, and the green headband still kept it out of his face. If Tyki squinted slightly, he could still see the black string that held the eye patch to his face. He seemed a little paler this season, but he still talked about a mile a minute, so Tyki didn't let it worry him too much.

As it was, he was annoyed he was worried about the boy in the first place.

Lavi lead him to a gate, opening it easily and motioning for him to follow. Tyki did so hesitantly, finding himself in awe of a single story home that was spread to have enough space to fit at least half, if not all, of the caravans they traveled in. Suddenly, Tyki was not sure this was a good idea.

It seemed Lavi held no limitations, as he simply bounded up to the door and let himself in.

"Kanda-sama, Yuu-chan!" He called into the house. "Lenalee?" A tall woman appeared in the doorway, somehow looking elegant even with a pile of towels in her hands. Tyki's eyes narrowed as her deep blue met his golden; he seemed to have struck a memory in her the way she did him, as she made a slight face.

"Ah, you brought...more." She said simply, her accent something Tyki hadn't noticed when he'd been eight seasons and trying to save Allen's skin. The way she said 'more', however, made Tyki's eyes narrow more.

"You have them, then?" He yelled as calmly and politely as he could while freezing in the harsh rain in her front yard. "My niece and cousin?"

"Come in." She said, the invitation sounding more like an order in Tyki's ears. "You can stay and see them once you are warm and dry." Tyki hesitated slightly; he still didn't trust the Kanda family, and Lavi wasn't any better at the moment, but they had Rhode and Allen. As much as he wanted to believe Cross' words against anyone who happened to have more money than they did (which was just about everyone)- - - "Are you coming in or not?" She snapped at him, and Tyki made up his mind in a split second, her voice startling him into moving.

He jumped, stopping in her entryway and accepting a few towels from her to dry off. She stalked down the hall as he took off his shirt, drying his upper body as best he could.

Tyki nearly jumped when he felt a towel on his head, and he looked up to find an emerald eye and a black eye patch peering back at him. Lavi grinned widely, drying Tyki's hair as he resumed his chatter about who knows what. Tyki tuned him out, trying to squash that damn feeling once more as it rose in his stomach for the first time in almost four seasons.

Except this time, he wasn't a child. Tyki's eyes met Lavi's again as he pondered this. He was fourteen seasons of age, and though he knew he was lucky earlier with the Millennium Earl, there was no doubt in his mind that his leader would pull him aside one day soon and begin his talk of marriage. He would have to agree, because Sheryl and Tricia had been his age when they had been married, and it was their tradition. Already Tyki could hear talk about what a wonderful bachelor he was, a young rye with a powerful leader.

"Have you even been listening to me?" Lavi asked suddenly, making Tyki blink at him in confusion. He blushed lightly when he realized Lavi had his hands in his hair still, the towel having fallen to his neck from the younger's vigorous drying. His flush deepened when he saw Lavi's eye sparkling in amusement- - -he'd been caught staring at the pale boy.

Lavi hugged him again, the action softer this time as the red head pulled Tyki slowly towards his body, his head fitting perfectly under the gypsy's.

"I'm happy to see you too." He murmured quietly. Tyki sighed softly, allowing the boy a moment more before placing his hands on his shoulders and pushing Lavi back firmly.

"You never came." It was a soft-spoken accusation, as Tyki couldn't bring himself to yell in the Kanda household, and a question in one sentence. Lavi bit his lip. "You never came, and I never saw you again until now."

"That wasn't my idea!" Lavi grabbed his wrists with his hands, forcing Tyki to keep contact. "I swear upon my life, it wasn't!"

"Then whose?"

"Bookman kept me indoors all that winter." Lavi muttered, an annoyed glare on his face. "He gave me all sorts of pointless, useless assignments. And when I finished one, he had another for me."

"Why didn't you try to sneak out?" Tyki asked, frowning lightly. Lavi made a slight face, shrugging.

"It's hard to when your mentor is keeping such close watch on you." Lavi murmured petulantly, kicking at the floor beneath him. "Bookman even gave me really really hard tasks, so when it got too late all I could do was sleep." He scowled heavily, still holding on to Tyki's arms. "And then, by the time I managed to get a break, you guys were gone."

Feeling just a bit guilty he'd thought so poorly of Lavi (there was no way the boy was lying- - -he looked far too annoyed to be telling anything but the truth), Tyki pulled his arms away from Lavi's grip and placed his hands on Lavi's face, just underneath his eyes. The red head stiffened almost instantly, and Tyki paused, curious and slightly frowning.

"Lavi...?" He said softly when Lavi's visible eye closed. "What- - -"

"Sastimos, Tyki!" The air was forcibly and suddenly pushed out of his lungs as voices crowded over each other.

"Kak Tyki, you're all wet! Were you looking for us?" Tyki, gasping for breath, looked down to see silver hair and blue-purple hair attached to his dryer upper body. Rhode looked up at him and smiled sweetly, her arms tightening around his waist.

She looked different, and for a moment Tyki couldn't tell why.

Her hair was brushed, completely tangle-free, and had been braided from the top of her head all the way down to the very last couple of strands. Her cross tattoos seemed darker against her dark skin because of it, all of them visible on her forehead instead of half hidden by her hair. She wasn't wearing his shirt either- - -her clothes were replaced with a light pink long sleeved shirt, the material flowing down her arms as easily as the outfit Tricia had made for her birthday and first performance. There were two buttons on her collar, and the front was lacy and frilly (and so out of her character for Tyki he had to blink), the shirt drawing attention to the chest that was beginning to show. She was wearing a black skirt that went down to the tops of her knees, and she had purple and pink striped socks that disappeared underneath it.

"What are you wearing?" Tyki gaped at her. Rhode smiled wider and let him go, backing up a little and spinning around to completely show off the outfit.

"Isn't it cute?" She asked. "Lenalee gave it to me." Tyki sighed, rubbing his eyes and smiling slightly. Leave it to Rhode to play dress up while he and the others were worried back at camp.

"We need to go back soon, you two." Tyki said, trying to ignore the pleading look he got from Allen and his niece. "Everyone is worried about you two- - -especially because of today." He shot a meaningful look at Allen, who dropped the pleading look and bit his lip.

"I told you this was a bad idea." He hissed at Rhode. The girl stuck her tongue out at him before looking at Tyki and crossing her arms.

"It's storming out there." She said firmly. "That's why Allen and I haven't gone back yet. Kanda-sama said we could take refuge in her home for tonight. Can't we at least stay until the storm is through?" Tyki glanced outdoors again, his gaze thoughtful.

It was raining rather hard, and thunder could be heard in the distance. With the sun gone, it was almost impossible to see what time it was, and it was likely they wouldn't be able to find their way back to camp (it was amazing enough that Lavi had almost managed to find it, and Tyki able to get into town). Rhode was insistent to stay, and though Allen hadn't really said anything, Tyki could sense his reluctance to leave as well. And Lavi...

Well, who knows when he'd get a chance to speak to the red-head again?

"All right," He said with a sigh, rubbing his temples as he turned to face them again. "We'll stay."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi leaned heavily onto his arm, his visible green eye half opened. Laying across the floor was a young girl with green-tinted black hair and a plain yet clearly expensive black dress. She was giggling with Rhode and teaching her how to play some sort of hand game. Her name, if Tyki recalled correctly, was Lenalee Lee (her brother was Komui Lee, well-known for the scientific discoveries he and his team made, as well as his almost obsessive and constant worry for his younger sister, his only remaining family).

Across from them was Allen, who had fallen asleep next to Kanda Yuu. Tyki worried for a moment about the sense in that- - -since he had agreed to stay, and most likely before as well, all Allen and Kanda Yuu did was fight. It would start with a comment about 'a certain Moyashi' and then turn into an all out verbal war until Lenalee stepped in to stop it, as she seemed to be the only one who could raise a hand against the boy and survive it. Once, Kanda even grabbed a sword from the wall and aimed the sheathed blade at Allen; Tyki had nearly jumped up to grab it away, but Lenalee just whacked the older boy in the head and took it away from him.

Now, however...

Allen was asleep on the ground, his hands cushioning his head. He was curled slightly, as if he was cold, and every now and then a whimper would come from him- - -a nightmare, Tyki guessed, about Mana. Next to him, Kanda Yuu sat in a medatitve pose, his back straight, his eyes closed, hands placed firmly on his knees. Every whimper or noise from Allen made his face twitch slightly, until he cracked an eye open and glared down at the sleeping gypsy. Allen whimpered again, his hand slowly sliding against the wood floor inch by inch until it hit Kanda Yuu's knee. With a silent sigh, he dropped the pose and reached down, gently cradling Allen's head as Kanda Yuu brought it to his lap. Settling himself and Allen slowly so that the boy would stay asleep and they would be more comfortable, Kanda Yuu glanced down at Allen; as Tyki watched, the cobalt eyes seemed to soften, though it was slight as if the boy was trying to deny it with all his mind, and his hand carded slowly and repeatedly through Allen's silver locks.

Tyki looked away before he could be seen watching- - -he wouldn't want to ruin what could be something to heal Allen a bit more.

"Are you still mad at me, Tyki?" Lavi asked quietly from his side. Tyki glanced down at him, but the red head continued to stare at Rhode and Lenalee across from them.

"I suppose not." Tyki sighed. He felt Lavi turn his face into his arm, and felt the smile that crossed the red head's face at his answer.

"You weren't there either, you know." Lavi murmured against his arm. Tyki 'hmm?'ed, and Lavi took this as an invitation to elaborate. "The next year, I mean. You didn't come back. I waited and waited every day to see you again." He yawned. "Bookman wasn't too pleased, but he'd let me wait for a little bit every day. He didn't have much choice, because I kept fighting against him all the time and there was nothing else he could do. I drove him mad."

"My apologies." Tyki said quietly back, his eyes drifting from where Rhode was playing a game with a girl who treated his niece as if they were on the same class level to Allen's sleeping face as he slept in peace on the lap of a boy who claimed to hate his cousin with every fiber of his being. "Lord Millennium took us farther than we'd ever been before. We almost missed staying here this season." Lavi made an acknowledging noise against his side, and the older gypsy could feel his eyes sliding shut.

"For a while..." He yawned again, settling himself more firmly into Tyki's side. "For a while, I blamed you..." Tyki looked down at him, curious, as the boy continued to get comfortable against him. "I got kidnapped one time while waiting for you, the first year you didn't come back. Bookman paid the ransom to get me back, but..." Even half asleep, Lavi seemed to struggle with the story, a combination of not wanting to tell it yet wanting to get it out as soon as possible and of the sleep that was quickly overtaking him. "It took him a couple of days...burned my eye..." Lavi sighed quietly and fell asleep.

It took Tyki a few moments to get over his shock and surprise. Lavi had waited for him? The thought hadn't crossed Tyki's mind before, when he'd been angry at the red head for leaving him as suddenly as he did. He could picture Lavi, sitting in the tree they normally did, watching the distance for any sign of them. Getting his hopes up every time a group of people passed by only to have them shot down brutally when they were close enough for him to realize it was not the Millennium Earl and his enormous group of traveling performers and Noah. With another sigh, Tyki hesitantly moved his arm; Lavi made a noise at the sudden movement, but didn't wake. Tyki draped his arm over Lavi's shoulders and pulled him just a bit closer.

For a moment, Tyki wondered if he should trust Lavi again. If the red head ever decided to disappear without word again, the betrayal would be different from when he was younger- - -it would be more intense, harder to get over alone. As it was, the innocent feelings he'd had as a boy were stronger for the red head against him, and it deeply unsettled Tyki. He was slowly yet surely growing fonder and more attached to Lavi, and while it didn't bother him that he was becoming attracted to a male (nobody in his troupe would mind- - -the gypsy way was open and accepting of anyone and any relationship, whether it be what society perceived as natural, or the supposed 'sin' society labeled any other relationship that was not between a male and a female), it bothered him that his attraction was to someone of a higher class. In the event of Lavi rejecting him once more, Tyki didn't want to have to involve the Earl or anyone else into a situation where he had to dwell in misery due to his stupidity, his own inability to learn from his mistakes. And he may not be able to forgive him a second time, if Lavi did.

Then Lavi moved in his sleep, unconsciously adjusting his arms so that they were wrapped around Tyki's waist and his head was placed underneath the older gypsy's chin. Tyki wrapped his arm tighter around Lavi's shoulders, his eyes closing as he tilted his head to rest on Lavi's. The red head murmured something in his sleep, something that sounded suspiciously like the gypsy's name, and it made Tyki smile. He wrapped his arms around Lavi tighter, inhaling deeply and getting the red head's scent mixed in with the air he breathed in.

It would be all right, Tyki decided. After all, if Lavi had been waiting for them for the past three seasons, he wouldn't want to stay any longer than he had to either.

And maybe, after a bit longer, they could see if he'd want to become a gypsy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Please don't do this again!" Tricia had her arms wrapped firmly around her daughter, Sheryl holding the both of them tightly. Rhode struggled lightly, trying to pull away so she wasn't smothered, a bag in her hands from Lenalee. Allen was standing by Cross, who had been grudgingly taking care of the boy since Mana's death. Cross stared at Allen for a long moment before turning away.

"The next time you do this will be your last." He muttered warningly before turning away completely. Tyki moved over to Allen when the man disappeared, touching his head softly when the boy bowed his head to hide the hurt that flashed through his eyes.

"He means well." He said after a moment. Allen rubbed his eye with his clothed left hand.

"I know." He muttered. "Doesn't make him any less of a bastard."

"Language, Allen." Tyki chided gently, rubbing the boy's head. "It isn't proper for a boy of eleven seasons to say such things just yet." Allen nodded again and sighed.

"Do you know when this season ends?" Allen asked curiously, looking back at the town. Tyki watched him out of the corner of his eye, wondering about the sudden interest in their movement. When he responded with a negative, Allen nodded absently. "Do you think the Earl would mind it if I spent most of my time in town this season?"

Now Tyki looked at the silver-haired boy fully, a frown on his face.

"I don't think he'd mind, per say..." He said slowly, trying to carefully choose his words. "Though he would want to know why, Allen." Underneath his gaze, Tyki watched as Allen turned five shades of red and stammered something about swords and the color blue- - -

And Tyki understood.

With a grin, he ruffled Allen's hair, which made the boy cry out in shock and surprise. Allen looked at him, his eyes narrowed in what would be a glare if he hadn't been pouting at the same time. Tyki leaned forward almost conspiratorially.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the Kanda family, would it?" He asked. Allen turned another shade of red, to the older's immense amusement. "Specifically, the youngest son, Kanda Yuu?"

"Enough!" Allen hissed, his face a dangerous shade of scarlet. Tyki chuckled slightly until Allen spoke again. "You like Lavi, so you have no right to tease me!" Tyki choked a bit, staring down at Allen with wide gold eyes. "I saw you both a few moments before we all woke up to come home. You were both sleeping, arms around each other. It was like watching Sheryl and Tricia when they sleep...except, you know, Lavi isn't a woman. And you are nothing like Sheryl." Determined silver eyes glared resolutely into shocked gold ones, and for a moment Tyki battled: to tell, or to keep it secret?

Allen snorted and Tyki felt himself crumble.

"We'll do it together." He agreed grudgingly. "That way, Lord Millennium isn't as suspicious as he would be."

"Deal." Allen said instantly. For a moment, their gazes met again, and Tyki looked at the boy who was his adoptive cousin fully for the first time in far too many seasons.

His silvery-white hair was falling into silvery-gray eyes, his pale face dark with blood. The dark red on his face hid part of the tattoo that covered his left eye and cheek, though the red pentacle on his forehead remained. At eleven seasons, he still hadn't remembered anything before Mana found him stumbling around on the side of the road while they traveled. Tyki's gaze dropped down to the button up shirt that was his own as well, the white cloth not covering the place on Allen's shoulder where the burn mark began. Tyki had only seen the mark a few times, as Allen strived to keep that part of his body hidden from everyone; they all assumed he'd had the habit long before Mana ever saw him, because he was extremely good at it, and had been since they found him when he was supposedly four seasons. He was wearing loose black pants and was barefoot, like the rest of the group; Tyki entertained for a moment the idea of Allen one day leaving them, because he was so different from the rest of the group that took him in. He had the type of skin that never tanned, only burned, and despite the love he had for his adoptive family, Allen always seemed to have a different goal in his mind, one that differed from the family desire to wander from town to town for performances (never mind the fact of them not being related by blood, with the exception of Sheryl and Tyki).

With a sigh, Tyki ruffled Allen's hair again, ignoring the boy's surprised noise.

"Come on." He muttered finally. "Let us get food and inform everyone we are back." He glanced at Rhode before steering Allen away. "Come, quickly, before Sheryl and Tricia decide to strangle us as well." As they raced around the camp, Tyki felt something forming in the pit of his stomach, something that felt warm and happy, a completely welcome feeling.

He threw his head back and laughed, feeling completely at ease for the first time since he was eleven seasons and making plans in a tree with Lavi.

, I thought I was going to die typing this out. XD haha sorry this took forever to get out, guys. Monday/Tuesday my mom and sister drove me from Arizona to Cali, and Sunday there was a small...accident...while we were camping...and basically, I had the longest and best three weeks in Arizona. XD haha anyway, since nobody really cares about what happened to ME, I figured I'd stop torturing d-gray-geek (you make me blush, darling, but I love reading what reviews you leave me and it makes me happy that you'll read my chapters then take more time to leave reviews for me to read) and Yueaifang (I can't remember if I messaged you back last chapter- - -did I? I sincerely hope I did, as I love the reviews you leave for me as well), my best and most dedicated reviewers, about what happens to Lavi. XD (by the way, as this will be shorter than 'A Bullet With Butterfly Wings', I'm going to focus on finishing this first...there's really only two or three more chapters to write up, really, which makes me kinda sad...my first d gray man fic, all grown up and left to fanfiction's cruel reality...haha XD)

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle

Prikasa=bad luck or bad omen

Rye=gentleman

Sastimos=good health or to your health; used as a greeting 


	5. Chapter 5

Tyki and Rhode sat at the edge of the main wagon, their legs dangling off the edge as they watched the ground go by. Rhode had her hands spread across the wood behind them, her arms straight and keeping her upper body from touching the floor. With the exception of yet another muffled argument between the Millennium Earl and Allen, and the creaking from the wheels below them, the air around Tyki and his niece was filled with silence.

"It's been like this for too long." Rhode muttered unhappily, bending her arms at the elbows until her back hit the bottom of the wagon and she could tilt her head back against the wood. Through a small sliver of space, she could just make out Allen's face; withdrawn and full of uncharacteristic anger, silver eyes rimmed with black and full of stubbornness, he looked completely unlike the boy who Rhode loved and grew up with. "He keeps making such a fuss, and all for some boy who's seventeen seasons and will most likely abandon him soon." Sighing slightly, Rhode looked away from what she could see of Allen and turned to face her uncle again. "Even you aren't as upset to leave Lavi behind."

"He's gotten too close to the Kanda son. We all knew this would happen at some point." Tyki murmured back tiredly; rubbing his hand over his eyes, the older gypsy lay a hand next to his niece's as he thought of something to tell her he hadn't already said. "Darling- - -"

"Don't 'darling' me!" She snapped, standing suddenly and making Tyki blink at her in confusion and surprise. Rhode stood for a moment, fists clenched by her side, trembling from keeping what she wanted to say inside. There was a deep scowl on her face, strands of hair falling from the braid hanging down her back and framing her gold eyes. "He can't leave! Allen's part of our family!"

"I never said he wasn't, but Rhode- - -" Tyki tried again, but she cut him off almost violently as she stamped her foot on the ground. All of the hurt and anger she'd been keeping bottled up spilled out of her suddenly.

"He shouldn't even be having these ideas! What, does he plan to just abandon us after all this time?" She hissed, trying not to alert anyone else to the topic of their suddenly heated discussion. Her lip curled at the thought, her golden eyes narrowed fiercely. "How dare he! It's not his place, he's only fifteen seasons, he's not even an adult! How dare he try to make decisions like this on his own, as if he were smart enough or old enough to!" Rhode had begun pacing during her rant, fury and hatred in her eyes. She was still trembling, though now it was more due to anger than anything else; her arms began waving wildly as she spoke, adding to the crazed rant she begun. "Is this how he plans to repay Mana for taking him in? Is this his payment to us for accepting him into our family with open arms the way we did, when no one else wanted him? This-This absolute betrayal? I'll go tell Allen that under no circumstances can he just- - -let me go!"

Rhode was so engrossed in her tirade she didn't notice Tyki behind her. She turned, ready to make good on her threat to speak with Allen, only to have her uncle grab her arms and keep her back.

"Calm down, Rhode!" Tyki grunted out- - -despite being a girl, Rhode was stronger than she looked. And now, with fury and hate running through her, the adrenaline rush made her even harder to contain.

"Let. Me. Go!" She yelled this time, freeing one of her hands enough to swipe it around; the knuckles and back of her hand caught Tyki in the face, the force behind it snapping his head to the side with an audible slap.

They both froze, and the argument behind them came to a stop as the sound died down. There was no movement for a long moment, the only sound coming from the creaking of the wagon below them.

Rhode's eyes, narrowed in her anger, slowly widened as realization dawned on her. Her mouth worked soundlessly, trying to come up with something that could possibly save the situation that had gotten out of control. Tyki wouldn't look at her, and she felt panic welling up in her.

"Kak...?" She whispered quietly. Her hand, still in the air, retreated slowly as she brought it level with her uncle's face. Shaking slightly, now from fear and worry, Rhode gingerly touched the abused cheek, sucking in a breath when he winced and abruptly dropped her other hand. She could hear Allen heading over, calling out to see if everything was all right, but ignored him.

Tyki was surprised by the amount of strength behind the slap; already, he could feel blood rushing to his face and a bruise forming on it. Rhode touched it with her fingertips, making pain spike through it once more, and Tyki drew away from her more, putting space between them just as Allen managed to make his way through.

"What happened?" The younger asked in concern, silver eyes glancing from a stunned Rhode to a subdued Tyki and back.

"Nothing much, Allen." He said, meeting his niece's surprised gaze firmly. Her eyes watered slightly at the stern look in his own, and Rhode bit her lip and looked down after a few moments. "It's fine. Nothing to trouble yourself with. Right, Rhode?" Rhode nodded stiffly, her lower lip trembling.

"It's nothing." She murmured tearfully. Allen frowned in concern, but when he reached out to touch her shoulder, she pulled away. "It's fine." She hissed, her gold eyes narrowed and accusing. Allen drew away with a surprised look.

"Tyki-pon?" The Millennium Earl joined their group, his hands falling firmly on Allen's shoulder. "What's going on?" His hand squeezed Allen's shoulder, and the boy's face turned uncomfortable at the pressure. Despite the worried tone of his voice, Tyki could tell that the Earl in no way forgot what had been happening between himself and Allen Walker a few minutes prior.

"It's nothing, Lord Millennium." He answered, but the man seemed to forget everything when Tyki turned to face him.

"Ah, Tyki-pon, your face!" He cried, pushing Allen to the side in order to see the other's face better. His fingers touched Tyki's chin, tilting his head to the side to better see the bruise blooming on his face. "What happened?" The man's gaze didn't move, but the atmosphere cooled. "Rhode."

"I..." Her voice failed her again and she didn't seem to know what to say.

"It's nothing, Lord Millennium, truly." Tyki insisted, pulling his face away slowly so he wouldn't anger the Earl any more than he already was. "It's fine. A little bruise won't hurt me or anything." The Millennium Earl's lips pursed, but he let the matter drop as soon as he released Tyki's face.

"If you say so." He said decisively, casting a warning glance at Rhode. She dropped her gaze again. "Come, Allen." The Earl said firmly, reaching out to touch Allen's shoulder again. "I have not finished talking with you yet."

"There's nothing to talk about." Allen hissed, his stance becoming tense and his eyes narrowing again. The Millennium Earl seemed surprised, but the presence of both Tyki and Rhode made it almost impossible to say anything.

"You're acting cruelly." Rhode told him, her eyes flashing as she took out her anger on the one who caused it. Tyki groaned silently and rubbed his temples- - -this was exactly what he'd been trying to prevent. Allen and Rhode were too close for anything the girl said to not have anything aimed specifically at harming the boy. "Don't be so naive and trusting, Allen. What happens when your little samurai doesn't want you anymore?" The boy flushed, wincing as if the words physically struck him, and Tyki rubbed at his eyes again with a sigh.

Allen bolted suddenly without a word, startling everyone in front of him; Rhode reached out to stop him, but she just missed him as he jumped out of the moving wagon.

Nobody moved; Allen had managed to shock them all with his apparent disregard for his own safety.

"Go make sure he's ok." The Millennium Earl murmured harshly, glasses flashing. "Lulubell, tell Skinn to slow down so that Tyki and Rhode can get off!" The wagon slowed almost instantly, making the three occupants on it stumble a bit- - -Tyki caught his niece's arm, giving her a small smile as a show of forgiveness; she gave him her own shaky one in return- - -before regaining their footing.

As soon as they were steady, Rhode and Tyki jumped off and headed towards the tree they saw Allen running

Lavi stood precariously in the tree, his hand blocking the sun from his face as he took up the watch he started way back when he was eleven- - -watching the distant horizon for the familiar caravans of the Millennium Earl and his Noah. Below him, more willing to wait than he'd like to admit, Kanda leaned against the trunk of the tree. Every now and then, Lavi heard his grumbled annoyance drifting up to him, but he dutifully ignored it the way a self-proclaimed best friend should.

(Besides, he knew Kanda had been missing Allen immensely- - -it seemed harder and harder for the pale gypsy to separate from the swordsman with each passing year, something that hadn't escaped the apprenticed Bookman Jr's notice.)

Lenalee was sitting next to Kanda, her hands trailing mindlessly in the dirt as she giggled each time Kanda complained. She had a book open in her lap, the only source of entertainment the three had, besides the sword Kanda kept attached to his side since he got it at fourteen, affectionately named Mugen.

"Any sign of them yet?" Lenalee asked him anxiously. Lavi took a break from scanning the distance to smile down at her. He could hear in her voice how much she missed the young gypsy girl who had begun keeping her company and allowing Lenalee to dress her up like a doll.

"Not yet." He called down, looking up to scan again. Lavi felt his heart pound in his throat- - -he was missing his own companion, the older gypsy that was able to reduce him to nothing more than a stuttering mass of body as easily as the older breathed. As the friendship between the two became stronger over the years, Lavi had found himself noticing little things about the other boy. Small things, like how Tyki would have Tease appear at random moments while with the red head, or how his gold eyes softened whenever they met his own. Even things like how protective Tyki was of everyone in their group, and how he seemed to be the runner up in Tyki's affections after his niece and cousin. Lavi found himself hoping fervently that Tyki's affections ran deeper than familial ones- - -while he himself wasn't sure whether or not his feelings were classified as the ever-elusive 'love' everyone sought in their lifetime, Lavi knew that his own affections ran deeper than friends or family.

And this was to be the year. This year he didn't want to wait for Tyki to seek him out; he'd approach the older gypsy on his own terms, and the red head would confess when he felt he should. He knew Kanda felt the same way, though he'd never let it through the cold mask he kept firmly in place.

"Oh!" Lavi grinned suddenly. "I think that's them, guys!" Kanda muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'finally!' while Lenalee stood up, closing the book and holding it firmly against her chest. Lavi stayed in the tree, his hand against the firm trunk, and watched as the caravans went by.

He recognized Tyki's older brother, Sheryl, leading the way, his hand on the side of the horse in the very front. On it was his wife, Tricia; even from the distance, Lavi could tell they were clearly in love and, at the same time, purposefully ignorant of Allen's guardian, Cross Marian, behind them.

Lavi continued to watch, searching what he could for Tyki, Rhode, and Allen; as he looked, he wondered in the back of his mind who would be the first one to be seen.

Allen, to Lavi's surprise, was the first one out, his bare feet hitting the floor as he jumped from the still-moving wagon. He lost balance and almost fell on impact, but managed to steady himself.

"Oi, Moyashi." Kanda called harshly; the boy's silver eyes met the swordsman's cobalt and Allen bolted towards him, his arms wrapping around the taller male's waist and his face burying itself in Kanda's chest as soon as he was close enough. Kanda let out an undignified squawk at the sudden contact (he denied it fiercely later, his face unwillingly turning crimson), his hands going to the boy's shoulders as if to shove him away. Allen tightened his grip, his body shaking slightly.

Lavi forgot to look for Tyki; instead, he dropped down to the ground and shared a confused look with Lenalee.

"Moyashi-chan...?" He asked softly, reaching out to touch Allen's shoulder.

"He's been in trouble with Lord Millennium lately." Lavi and Lenalee turned to see Tyki standing behind them, looking apologetic and worried, a red-purple mark covering a good side of his face. Behind him, Rhode peered at them, sending a grim smile at Lenalee briefly before locking her gold eyes on Allen.

"It isn't fair that you're doing this, you know." She informed him coldly, her words tinged with exasperation, as if she had been saying the same thing for a long while. "It's only going to destroy the whole family. And it's started already, thanks to you and your stubbornness."

"What is Allen trying to do?" Lenalee asked curiously. Rhode's eyes flashed before her face and demeanor changed completely.

They watched, Tyki with a vague sort of amusement, as she grinned at Lenalee as if it was the first time she had seen the girl.

"Lenalee!" She cried, racing around Tyki to wrap the girl in a tight hug. "How are you this cold season?"

"I'm fine, but- - -" Rhode pulled away with a gasp of surprise, her hands going to the other girl's shoulders as they began a conversation about who-knows-what (even at eighteen seasons, Tyki still had no more understanding of the girls he met and knew than he did ten seasons previous; he learned to let them do as they pleased and tried to stay out of their way when he could).

"Wait." Lavi stood in front of Tyki, frowning in confusion. "What happened to your face, Tyki?" The red head didn't wait for an answer; instead, he reached up and gently touched the area around the mark. Tyki's eye scrunched up slightly as the red head inspected it.

"It's nothing." He said insistently. "Just a bruise." Lavi's visible eye narrowed lightly.

"What happened?" He asked quietly. "Did you get in trouble for something?"

"Of course not." Tyki covered Lavi's hand with his own and pulled it away from his face. As he did so, he allowed their fingers to intertwine. He watched with slight amusement as Lavi's breath caught in the boy's chest, his eye darting from Tyki's face to their hands and back quickly. "You shouldn't worry yourself so, it's not healthy for you." Lavi smirked slightly.

"You're not healthy for me." He replied back, not missing the flash of emotion going through Tyki's eyes and the raised eyebrow. Rolling his eyes, Lavi leaned forward and gave Tyki a brief hug. "Let's walk around for a bit. You can tell me what's been happening to you all lately."

"Later, Lavi." Tyki ruffled Lavi's hair. "After we help settle in. Come along, Rhode, Allen." As they said their goodbyes, Tyki pulled Lavi close. "Meet me just outside the town Lavi- - -I'll see if I can't have a replacement and spend more time with you tonight. Ok?" Lavi nodded, a grin on his face as he tried to control the blush taking over his face and the racing of his heart.

With a smirk, Tyki waved once at him before they moved in the direction of the stopped caravans.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi walked with his fingers tangled with Tyki's, the older having permission from the Earl to roam about their area despite the approaching night (besides, Tyki reasoned, Jasdero and Devito had been wanting to open for far too many seasons- - -he was willing to give up the spotlight in order to spend time with Lavi).

"Where are we going?" Lavi asked curiously, watching as several young girls ran past, their feet bare and their skirts fluttering around their legs. Tyki shrugged carelessly while he watched them race around the corner of one of the tents.

"Nowhere, I suppose." Lavi grinned at him before tugging him forward. Confused, Tyki followed as well (not that he had much of a choice- - -they were connected by hand), allowing himself to be pulled around people until they had reached the tree that seemed to hold far too many milestones for them. Feeling amused, Tyki waited a moment before climbing onto the first branch, Lavi following behind him. They sat above the earth in silence together, facing the camp set up and watching as blue smoke drifted from one of the main tents- - -a product of Jasdero and Devito's guns.

"Hey, Tyki?" The gypsy glanced over at the red head, though the other's eyes stayed firmly on the rising smoke, which was slowly turning red. "Would the Millennium Earl oppose a relationship with someone outside your troupe?" Tyki blinked slowly, thinking over the question in his mind.

"Maybe not at first." He said slowly, trying to find a proper way to word it. "But, if it will not go anywhere after a time, then yes, I suppose he would." He glanced at the tent again- - -blue smoke once more- - -then turned to face Lavi fully, his legs straddling the tree branch underneath him to keep his balance. "Why do you ask?" Lavi fidgeted slightly before taking a deep breath.

"I don't think..." He murmured softly, fingers twisting in his lap. "I think I..." Lavi struggled for a moment more before resolutely moving towards Tyki. Before the older gypsy could do anything, Lavi pressed his lips against Tyki's.

The action stunned the older gypsy for a moment- - -he hadn't been expecting the sudden contact. While he knew of his own growing attraction to the red head, Tyki had no way of knowing Lavi felt anything past friendship for him.

Knowing his feelings were reciprocated made the older gypsy smirk when Lavi pulled away, face crimson.

They sat in a silence that was comfortable for Tyki, though he knew the red head was burning with a need for any type of response from him. Tyki watched out of the corner of his eye as Lavi endured the silence, biting his lower lip and glancing at him every now and then. His fingers resumed their previous twisting, entangling his hands together as he awaited Tyki's response.

After a few moments of amusement, Tyki moved so he was sitting firmly on the tree branch, sliding himself over until their bodies connected from hip to thigh while their legs swung idly in the air. His hand reached over and gently untangled Lavi's, taking the red head's left hand in his right and intertwining their fingers once more.

"You know," He started conversationally, gold eyes turning to where purple smoke filled the air while Lavi whipped his head up from their body positions to take in the gypsy's profile. "I knew my feelings had begun running deeper than friendship that night you found me in the storm, searching for Rhode and Allen."

"What?"

"I realized it when you had been drying my hair that night," He continued, seemingly unaware of Lavi's surprised voice. "And as I had been unsure of where you stood with your feelings for me, I chose to keep quiet." Tyki smiled at Lavi and leaned over to press a kiss to the red head's temple. "Knowing that you would want this with someone like me, who wanders as freely as an uncaged bird, makes me incredibly happy, Lavi."

Lavi leaned into Tyki's arm, both content to just sit and not say anything to one another.

"Do you..." Lavi swallowed lightly; when Tyki looked down at him, his free hand was fingering the eye patch the other hadn't taken off since they were young. "Do you want to...see...?"

"Only if you're comfortable." Tyki answered, understanding the unfinished question. Lavi didn't move before he pulled himself away and tore off the black fabric quickly, as if he would lose his nerve if he moved too slowly.

For a moment he wouldn't face the gypsy; then he took a deep breath and turned his face to him.

Tyki hesitantly reached out and touched the freed skin; it seemed odd, looking at Lavi's uncovered face for the first time since they'd met. His fingers gently touched the marked eye as he studied the scar tissue surrounding it.

The burn only covered the boy's eye, allowing him to wear the eye patch as it didn't seem to go any further than the sunken part of the eye, just inside the bone and skull. There was no eyebrow along the bone, and it appeared that the object used to burn him was hot enough to fuse the skin together in a twisted mess. The skin was darkened and gnarled under his fingertips, and Tyki let out a quiet sigh of discontentment.

How had he allowed this to happen?

"I wore the eye patch before because I liked to pretend I was a pirate." Lavi admitted. "Even when I was nine years old, ten years old, up until I was kidnapped, I still liked to play pretend. But I always knew that if I took the eye patch off at night, I'd still look normal. I wouldn't have this horrid mark on my eye and watch as people gave me pitying looks because I took it off."

"I'm sorry it happened." Tyki murmured gently, pulling Lavi to him despite the awkwardness of the position. "Especially because it happen while you were waiting for me." Lavi shrugged lightly in the awkward embrace, inhaling Tyki's scent deeply while he was pressed against him.

"It's fine." Lavi murmured back. "I try not to think about it too often, but every now and then..." He trailed off when Tyki pulled away and pressed his lips gently against the eye that no longer worked. "Tyki..."

"Shhhh." Tyki hugged the boy again, his cheek pressing against red strands of hair. "I'll still stay by you, if that's what you had been worried about before." An inexplicable tenseness that had surrounded Lavi from the moment the fabric left his skin left suddenly; Lavi's arms wrapped around Tyki as well, his hands clenching at the white shirt around Tyki's shoulder blades as he breathed shakily. Tyki comforted him as best he could, murmuring reassurances into his ear and pressing kisses against his head until the red head compare himself.

He gave Tyki a grin when he met the golden eyes again.

"Thanks, Tyki." The gypsy nodded in acquiescence and looked toward the camp once more, Lavi following his gaze soon after.

And when his hand shyly met Tyki's once more, Tyki took it and held onto it firmly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why doesn't Allen have cross tattoos?" Tyki turned to Lavi at the question, his eyebrow raised. Ahead of them, Lenalee and Rhode were holding hands and giggling, the older girl wearing a long white summer dress and the younger gypsy wearing an old skirt of Tricia's and a tight tank top shirt. Behind them, Kanda was being forcefully dragged by Allen; both boys were covered completely, Allen even wearing a glove to avoid questions about his arm.

"What do you mean?" Tyki asked curiously, peering behind them at the couple. "Allen has them as well. It makes what he's doing even worse than it should be." Lavi pursed his lips- - -despite the hints Rhode and Tyki had been dropping, the snide remarks of just what the pale haired gypsy was doing, nobody outside the three of them seemed to know or were willing to tell them.

All summer, though, Tyki had noted how Allen gravitated towards Kanda Yuu more than any of the rest of them- - -even Rhode. Especially Rhode. Ever since they'd arrived, way back before it started getting cold for the winter season, Allen had somehow worked his way more firmly into Kanda Yuu's life, going so far as to sneak out of the tent he slept in with Tyki. Tyki had made no mention of it, but he was almost certain Rhode knew as well. And if the intensifying glare the paler boy received from the Millennium Earl was any indication, their leader had his suspicions as well.

Despite this, Tyki noted how Allen only seemed truly happy when he was arguing with the older swordsman, odd as it was. As such, he and Rhode saw Lavi and Lenalee more times this season than ever before, so that it wasn't as strange that Allen was with Kanda Yuu; it looked better with the three of them gone, as Rhode and Tyki could always convince Allen to return to camp, than if Allen had just gone by himself.

"Well, where are they?" Lavi asked curiously, returning to the previous topic and peering over at his so-called best friend and the pale gypsy. "Why aren't they on his forehead, like yours and Rhode's?"

"He had that mark over his eye before we found him." Tyki explained. "Lord Millennium thought that his face had been marked enough, so decided not to put them on his forehead like the rest of the family. He's the only exception- - -even our doctor has them across her forehead."

"That doesn't tell me where they are." Lavi informed him when he stopped talking. Tyki laughed slightly.

"For that, you'll have to ask Allen." Without hesitation, the red head whirled around and placed his hands around his mouth.

"Hey, Moyashi-chan!" He yelled. Tyki watched as Kanda's eye twitched and Allen groaned. "Where are your cross tattoos?" The pale gypsy open his mouth.

"Across his chest, just under his collarbone." Everyone turned to stare at the two; Allen's face turned crimson while Kanda stared off to the side, pink slowly covering his cheeks. "There are seven."

Silence. Only the birds could be heard, the leaves rustling slightly as a soft wind blew through them. Rhode and Lenalee glanced at each other, violet meeting gold, before both girls blushed simultaneously, Rhode's face turning scarlet from the amount of blood settling in her face. Lavi's face was frozen in an expression that was a mixture of shock, slight horror, and faintly gleeful. Tyki covered his eyes with his hand, pursing his lips in an attempt to keep in what he wanted to say as a response to Kanda Yuu's sudden statement.

"And exactly how," he began slowly when he believed he could speak without throwing some form of insult at the two boys in his shock, not removing his hand from his eyes, "have you come across that information? Surely Allen didn't simply just tell you..." Both boys turned darker at the implications in his tone, but neither moved to deny anything. Silence reigned again.

Kanda suddenly fingered Mugen at his side, cobalt eyes meeting Tyki's gold in a piercing glare when the older gypsy brought his hand down to regard Allen.

"Do you have a problem with it?" He snarled quietly. Tyki raised an eyebrow, looking from Allen (who had suddenly found the ground below them fascinating) to Kanda and back several times.

"Let us continue onwards, shall we?" Tyki artfully ignored the question and continued walking, carefully grasping Lavi's hand in his own. Rhode and Lenalee moved as well, the blushes on their faces not fading as they carefully placed more distance between themselves. After a moment, Tyki heard Allen and Kanda begin walking again.

"That means that Yuu-chan got farther than any of us." Lavi said after a few moments of silence. "That's not fair. He and Allen didn't even like each other at first!"

"I didn't like you at first." Tyki said conversationally. Lavi gaped at him, the pale hand going slack. Tyki laughed at the stunned, wide eyed expression the boy gave him.

"Seriously?" Lavi said finally. Tyki shrugged slightly.

"You were not the first person who offered to befriend a gypsy. I felt I had learned my lesson the first time around, and had no desire to repeat the experience with you." Lavi happen at him, wordlessly prompting Tyki to explain. With a slight sigh, the gypsy went quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "When I was four or five seasons, a boy around my age wanted to be friends." Tyki explained, Lavi staring at him with a curious expression. "I accepted, and when he took me to his house his parents were largely uncomfortable around me. They, ah..."

"They were completely abusive." Rhode said from ahead of them. "Papa told me. He said that they were horribly cruel and unusual in their wording, and they insulted our family and everything about us in front of him. They even hit him- - -a lot. Papa said that they didn't realize it until after Kak took off his shirt, but when he did, he had so many bruises covering his body, his torso looked completely purple." Lavi looked from Rhode to Tyki and back, horror clearly on his face.

"I hadn't mentioned it to anyone." Tyki admitted. "And I tried to run away once. I didn't get far- - -Lord Millennium caught me and managed to get the whole story from me."

"Papa said that Lord Millennium brought Kak in front of the whole troupe and tell his story again." Rhode added. "And then he said that outside humans by nature were cruel, and that only family could really support each other properly."

"I never saw that child again." Tyki murmured after a while. Lavi looked at him, then tightened his hand on Tyki's. "And when you introduced yourself, you reminded me of him. I didn't trust you at first." Rhode smiled and returned to her own conversation with Lenalee as Lavi leaned over quickly and pressed his lips against Tyki's cheek.

"I'm sorry." The other boy smiled at him, swinging their connected arms slowly.

"It's over and done with." Tyki said breezily, bringing their hands up briefly to press a kiss against Lavi's hand before allowing them to succumb to the pull of gravity once more. "Besides, you've been different from the start."

"That's good." Lavi smiled widely as they went quiet again; each gypsy enjoying the last day they had together with their friend and significant other before they left the next morning.

And when dawn arrived, Rhode leaned against Tyki, asleep once more, Tyki watched as the only members of their group- - -Cross and Allen- - -slept on in their tent. Sighing slightly and pressing his head against Rhode's, Tyki's gaze drifted over to the tree that held yet another milestone in his relationship with Lavi, a small smile lighting up his features.

With a yawn, Tyki closed his eyes and slept, thinking of the red head and inwardly counting seconds until they came back the next season.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Kak Tyki, do you know where Allen is?" Tyki turned, his fingers stilling on the fabric he was currently tying around his neck. Rhode looked vaguely uncomfortable, her lower lip caught between her teeth and her brow furrowed.

"No." He answered carefully. "I haven't seen Allen around at all." Rhode entered the tent fully and sat on the bed Allen used. "He said he would be with Cross after we started packing up to leave..."

"And no one has seen either Cross or Allen since." Rhode said, bringing her hand up to rub her eyes. "But Cross decided to go a different way, didn't he? So they should be here any day now, right?"

"That's right." Tyki finished tying the fabric and picked up his hat easily, the purple Tease fluttering from it as soon as he touched it. Despite having Jasdero and Devitto take his opening spot, Tyki still used his Tease in performances on stage. "Cross had sent word ahead that they'd be here late tonight or early tomorrow; worry not, darling," he said teasingly, "for your companion will be here soon." Rhode flushed and stuck her tongue out.

"Perhaps the short separation is for the best." She said, "When Allen comes, he shouldn't be in such a horrible mood. Maybe he'll give up thoughts of leaving us now."

Tyki paused at her last sentence. Despite her voicing it, both of them knew it was unlikely Allen would abandon such thoughts. They both knew the boy well, better than anyone else with the exception of Mana; and as such, both knew that once Allen got an idea into his head, it would remain there until he managed to somehow act on it or change anyone's way of thinking. It had been an endearing trait when he was younger, though now it was causing more pain in the entire family than usual.

"Perhaps." Tyki agreed carefully. "Maybe Cross will finally beat some sense into that boy." Rhode smiled shakily and stretched, her back cracking in several places as she did.

And when Cross appeared the next morning, Rhode was at his side faster than anyone could blink.

Tyki watched as the girl asked something of Cross, only to frown when the man shook his head and Rhode's jaw clenched tightly. She said something else, bowing slightly, then stomped over to Tyki, eyes blazing.

"Cross says he hasn't seen Allen since we left. Allen was supposed to travel with him, but Cross couldn't find him when he was ready to leave, so he assumed Allen would be with us, which means that he's nowhere to be found." Rhode's jaw set and she seemed to struggle with her words, playing absentmindedly with her long hair. "Where could he be?"

"Perhaps it is time to go to Lord Millennium now." Tyki said, his pursed in disapproval. Rhode 'tsk'ed but agreed, following her Kak in their sudden job of locating the Millennium Earl.

They found him easily; he had been standing outside of Skinn's tent, making some sort of over excited motions at the gypsy. Tyki regarded Skinn coolly for a second before turning his attentions on their leader.

"Lord Millennium." The Earl turned to face Tyki, his smile as wide as always; it seemed the break from Allen's constant defiance brought back their leader's cheerfulness. Tyki hated to be the bearer of bad news, but knew that the matter at hand was of utmost importance. He had no doubt that Allen's disappearance had been chalked up to traveling with Cross, and when the Millennium Earl sought out the man and discovered Allen still missing, Tyki knew there would be hell to pay because he hadn't been told immediately.

"Tyki-pon!"

"Allen is missing." The Earl seemed to be taken aback, and Tyki continued. "Cross is here, but Allen isn't. We have no idea where he is."

"None whatsoever, Tyki?" The Millennium Earl's glasses flashed, and Tyki sighed in annoyance.

"It's more than likely he stayed behind in the last village." He admitted finally, rubbing his eyes. Allen, it seemed, had discovered his newfound ability to create unnecessary drama amongst the Millennium Earl and those closest to him and was using said ability as best as he could.

"Ah." The Earl seemed to be deep in thought, the accompanying "I see..." coming out thoughtfully. They stood in silence until the Millennium Earl turned to Skinn. "I know you dislike being a messenger, but do go fetch Allen as soon as you can." Despite the pleasant way of asking, everyone heard the harsh order in his voice, and Skinn nodded once, shooting a withering glance at Tyki and Rhode.

"I'll leave now, Lord Millennium." Their leader nodded once before taking Rhode's arm gently in one hand and leading her away, Tyki following silently after. They waited a few moments while Skinn took what he needed, then watched as the older gypsy left.

Rhode smiled when she realized that Allen would soon be among family again.

Days turned into weeks, though, and when three weeks had passed, Rhode approached Tyki with a worried look.

"We haven't traveled far enough to warrant them both being gone for three weeks." She bit her lip and looked into the distance. "What's taking so long?"

"Allen is most likely being stubborn." Tyki sighed; he'd been gathering wood for dinner, and with Rhode's news he'd placed what he gathered on the ground. "It's probably best if we went after them now, to ensure they come back."

"Would Lord Millennium allow us to go?" Rhode questioned. As soon as it left her mouth, Devito appeared, twirling his gold gun in his hand.

"I'm supposed to take the wood in." He said. "Lord Millennium wants to speak with you both." Despite his careless way of speaking and the casual manner that he twirled his gun, Devito was clearly anxious. He was alone, and his bottom lip was red- - -it seemed they all had a bad habit of biting their lip when worried.

Without a second thought, both Rhode and Tyki rushed towards the direction he came, Tyki giving Devito a soft but reassuring pat on the boy's head as he passed.

They found the Earl by the edge of their camp, two horses beside him as he waited for the to come within hearing distance.

"Go bring them back." His voice was stoic, but they could detect the worry in it as he fretted- - -the Millennium Earl was the type of leader who appreciated having his little family as close to each other and as safe as possible. It mattered not that they were all strays picked off the street; to him, and to them, they were family and family stood firm. He forgave everything they did to each other short of betrayal and murder, and despite his current tension with Allen, Tyki knew that his concern for the boy's well being was genuine.

He took the reins gently, accepting a pouch filled with money and handing one to Rhode as they both climbed on.

"We'll be back soon." He promised. "With them both."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They'd seen Allen long before he saw them, and in an instant, both sets of gold eyes turned relieved and infuriated. Meeting each other's gazes briefly, Tyki and Rhode slowed the horses they were on as they got closer to the pale boy sitting on the side of the road with his head in his hands.

Allen looked up when he heard them approach, and as they came to a stop in front of him, Tyki could see the red rimming his eyes.

"What happened?" Rhode spoke first, breaking the tense silence around them. "Has your samurai finally left?" Allen grimaced at the question.

"No." Allen's voice was harsh and choked, as if he'd been screaming or crying lately. Tears began to slowly fill his eyes again, and as the two watched Allen took a shuddering breath and stood.

"Where is Skinn?" Tyki asked firmly. Allen winced slightly at the question. "Lord Millennium sent him here to collect you almost a month ago. There has been no contact since, and we've been expecting the two of you this entire time. Where is he?"

"Over here." Allen murmured in his hoarse voice. Tyki dismounted, Rhode doing the same, and they led their horses as they followed Allen.

He took them to a small clearing, confusing Rhode and Tyki as they had been expecting him to take them into town. Instead, Allen had them stop as he searched the trees' trunks until he came across something that made him pause.

"Skinn is here." He muttered.

Time froze.

Tyki rushed forward first, striding quickly to stand beside Allen and see what the pale boy was seeing: a name and age carved shakily into the trunk of the tree.

_Skinn Bolic, twenty-three seasons of age_

"You _killed_ him?" Rhode hissed, and Tyki jumped. He'd forgotten that she had come with him, forgotten everything once he had seen his older 'cousin's name carved into the piece of living wood.

Though he and the older gypsy never got along, Tyki felt an overwhelming grief build in his body. While they were never as close as he and Rhode, or even he and Miranda (whom he treated very respectfully because of her willingness to treat them to the best of her abilities), Skinn Bolic had been something resembling family to him. He had, in a sense, been the protector of their small family, and Tyki bowed his head in a resemblance of respect at his passing.

Between them, Rhode had gone from hissing to screaming.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" She shrieked at him, fury and hatred making her voice cold, and the unfamiliar curse falling from her lips made Allen's eyes widen. It was a testament to the rage flowing through her frame- - -no matter what, the girl almost never cursed. "How _dare_ you! You traitor!" Allen's eyes widened, and Tyki stood with his head bowed as Rhode's words echoed in the clearing around them. "You killed him!"

"I didn't!" Allen insisted frantically, hands raised as a token of peace. Rhode ignored it as her hand swung out and backhanded Allen firmly across his face. Unlike when she had hit her uncle, though, she didn't stop.

"You might as well have!" Allen winced at her tone. Rhode hit him again. "It's worse that you stood by and allowed him to die!" Allen bit his lip, but didn't deny her statement, which made her eyes narrow. Her attack never slowed as she screamed at him. "We trusted you! We loved you! All we wanted was for you to be safe!" Rhode stopped, her gold eyes filling with tears despite remaining cold. "We wanted you to stay with us. Those crosses on your chest mean that you're family. Those crosses connected you to me, to Kak Tyki, to Papa and Mama, to Lulubell and Jasdevi, even to Skinn and Lord Millennium. They're the same crosses that Cross has, Miranda- - -even Mana wore them proudly." Allen winced at the name of his adoptive father, but Rhode kept up a torrent of words. "How dare you go back on everything he taught you, and on the care and support you got from us because he wanted you." Rhode hiccuped suddenly, her shoulders beginning to shake. "Why would you do this?" She asked coldly. The tears were falling quickly down her face, and Tyki placed his hand on her shoulder without turning around. "We-We..." Her voice faltered and she backed up until her back hit Tyki's shoulder, his arm between them, a thought occurring to her suddenly. "You didn't even care enough to burn him...did you?"

"...Kanda said it was unethical." Allen admitted quietly. "He's buried there."

Rhode let out a wordless shriek of rage and flew at Allen again, punching his chest in anger. Allen moved back in surprise, but she stopped instantly. Returning to her uncle, Rhode buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist, sobbing quietly but harshly into his shirt. Tyki wrapped one arm around her small waist, the other coming up across her shaking shoulders. As he allowed his niece to cry on him, he pressed a kiss to her hair as a few tears fell from his own gold eyes.

"Allen." The other made an acknowledging noise. "Don't move."

For a moment, all three of them were frozen in that moment: two gypsies standing in front of a tree, both crying, mourning the loss of a member of their family, while another stood a few feet away, watching with pained silver eyes.

"We must return." Tyki whispered soothingly into Rhode's ear when her cries died down. She sniffed, nodding as she pulled her face away and rubbed at her eyes gently. Her eyes landed on Allen and went cold again. Tyki pursed his lips, but took her hand as he turned to face Allen. "Come, Allen."

"But I- - -" He protested; Tyki cut him off.

"You are coming with us." Tyki said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. Allen winced, but nodded hesitantly. The three made their way back to the road, and Tyki hauled Allen up to his horse, getting on in front of him. "Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We've got him, Lord Millennium." Tyki, who was holding Allen's right arm, roughly threw the boy in front of the Millennium Earl. Allen stumbled, but managed to right himself as Rhode entered behind him. The Earl gasped at such a treatment, but both remained stoic.

"Allen-kun!" He cried out at the sight of the pale boy. His eyes moved from Allen to Tyki's impassive face and Rhode's cold eyes. "Where's Skinn? I want to know what took him so long." There was no answer, and his aura darkened. "Where is he, Tyki?" The oldest stayed quiet. "Rhode?" She took a deep, shuddering breath and crossed her arms, but stayed silent. "Allen?"

"He's dead." The Earl's gaze met Tyki's, then returned to Allen.

"Where are his ashes?" He asked coldly. Allen shook in front of him, but didn't answer. They watched him for a moment before Rhode answered.

"Allen didn't do anything." She said coldly. "He let Skinn die, and then didn't have the heart to burn him like he's supposed to because," her eyes flashed angrily and her emotionless voice turned venomous, "according to his precious samurai, it was 'unethical' to do so." The Millennium Earl snarled wordlessly, fury radiating off him.

"So," He started, his voice harsh, "is your precious little toy more valuable to you than family, Allen Walker?" Allen opened his mouth, but didn't get a chance to say anything. "A fling more important than lasting bonds? Did you want to leave so badly that you would murder a family member in order to stay away?"

"I didn't kill him!" Allen insisted angrily.

"If all you did was stand by and watched, you might as well have." The Earl hissed before abruptly turning his back on Allen. "I don't want to see him any longer. Get him out."

"And I should take him where?" Tyki asked, taking Allen's arm again.

"Out of this camp." The Millennium Earl turned to face Tyki. "I won't harbor a traitor among our midst. I don't want to see him at all after today."

"Tyki, please- - -" Allen tried, begging the older gypsy to listen to him, but Tyki wouldn't hear it. As soon as they were far away from the Earl and Rhode, the older gypsy pulled Allen around to face him.

"Do not address me so familiarly." He growled out. "You have brought this upon yourself, Allen Walker. I firmly support Lord Millennium's decision." He pushed Allen towards the horses. "Take one. Go back to the Kanda family and their son. And don't come back." Allen paused, clearly wanting to say something, before closing his mouth and doing as he was told.

As he rode away, Tyki watched him. And despite the tears he felt gathering at the corners of his eyes at losing yet another family member, this one closer and more dear to him than Skinn Bolic had ever been, Tyki turned firmly to return to the camp.

They had things to prepare for.

Sorry this took so long, everyone! This horrible thing called Real Life intruded on me in an incredibly rude manner, not to mention I feel my chapters are getting longer and longer as I continue. I had so much to get through in this one chapter, I suppose I'll be amazed when the next comes out. At any rate, I had not only focused on this chapter, but on the next one as well, the next chapter for A Bullet With Butterfly Wings (though neither are quite finished yet), and even on the one shot I started working on about a month + ago. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the brief inside to Lavi's thoughts and feelings, and I'm sorry for making Rhode have two more or less mental breakdowns in one chapter. I feel as though somehow, these characters spiraled out of my control and came out of character. Oh, the talk of cremation came from Wikipedia: I decided that, even though Romani don't cremate their dead, the Millennium Earl and his family uphold that practice. As always thanks to those of you brave enough to review! XD Voltairey and Yueaifeng, your input is most appreciated (though, surprisingly, there was no review from d-gray-geek...you ok, darling?).

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle 


	6. Chapter 6

Tyki watched his niece from behind as she stood against the side of the wagon, watching them load it up before they left once more. In the brightening darkness, he watched her yawn and move to pull her hair back out of her face- - -an old habit she had yet to lose.

"Tired, darling?" He murmured into her ear as he hugged her from behind. Her head tilted back against his chest, the tips of her hair brushing just under his face.

"Good morning, Kak." Rhode muttered back, sleep still heavy in her voice. She yawned again, her arms stretching out past him as she tried futilely to wake herself even more. Her arms settled on his shoulders against his neck, nimble fingers playing with strands of his wavy brown hair. "Where's 'Dero and Devi?"

"They're both in the process of moving the tent they use into a wagon." Tyki teased her gently. "Same as Lulubell, Skinn, even your mama and papa." Rhode used the position her hand was in to whack his head lightly at the teasing jab.

"Be nice." She scolded gently, rubbing her eyes. Allowing a lazy smile to cross her face, Rhode studied her uncle.

Despite the early time of day, he had somehow managed to both waken fully- - -he had been doing this longer, even if it was only by four years- - -and dress up into his usual traveling clothes; the sleeves of his white button up shirt were rolled up to his elbows, hair tied back to prevent it from falling in his face. Tyki noted the look of sadness that crossed her face at the sight of his hair. Making a mental note to cut it soon, as it was beginning to get ridiculously long, Tyki hugged her once more.

"You mustn't blame yourself for what happened, darling." He muttered. Rhode allowed him to hug her, one hand snaking between them to tug at the end of her hair.

A few days earlier, Rhode had been traveling alone from town with groceries. The sun had been beginning to set, and she had been almost home when she heard a muffled cry from the side of the road; after a moment's debate, she placed the groceries on the ground to investigate.

A young woman, no older than the girl herself, had been huddled in under a fallen tree. Rhode later described her as a young woman from the town, most likely the daughter of a baker or some other villager. She had shoulder-length black hair, big brown eyes, and a purple, half-torn shawl around her shoulders. Her hands were bruised and bloodied, as was what Rhode could see of her face, and the dark blue dress she wore was muddied and torn. She was shaking, from fright, and Rhode hesitantly offered her hand in help.

The girl took Rhode's proffered hand, peering up at her from behind a tangled mess of black hair; when she saw Rhode fully, a smile lit up her features, and she had licked her dry lips quickly.

"Not the one we wanted," She had rasped, her grip tightening on Rhode, "but good enough, eh?"

Eyes wide, Rhode twisted her hand out of the girl's grasp. She stepped back, terror filling her body and face as she watched the girl stand, completely uninjured despite the blood dripping down her face and hands; for a single moment, Rhode couldn't move.

It wasn't until the girl reached for her again- - -"after all, isn't this pretty little girl the princess of the Noah clan?"- - -that Rhode found it in her to move again. Almost tripping over an unearthed root by the tree, Rhode stumbled back only to find herself surrounded on the road. Around them were three or four boys, none of them any older than her uncle or Lavi, and Rhode had felt her skirt twist around her as she spun to see all of them at once (she mentioned later that she had cursed the fact it had been hot that day- - -she had been wearing nothing but a white thinly strapped shirt that gave a clear view of her breasts and a short skirt that stopped halfway down her thighs). The other girl crawled out, standing fully at what appeared to be the head of the circle around Rhode.

Coming to a stop, Rhode slid her feet out in a defensive pose, fists coming to a stop by her face as she had decided to fight her way out.

"What do you want?" She hissed at them, narrowing her eyes to hide the fear in her body. A strangled gasp left her as one of the boy's behind her wrapped her long braid around his hand and yanked harshly on it. As he yanked, her body followed the pull, making her drop her stance as her hands flew to the hair that fell just past her butt when not braided as it was now.

"Do all gypsy whores have hair as long as yours, darling?" The boy asked, sneering and mocking her. Rhode turned to face him as best she could, scowling deeply at the boy holding one of the things that had been her true pride- - -her hair.

"I'm no whore." She hissed back, eyes narrowing more as she allowed anger to replace the fear. "Don't mock me with your words or speak of a thing you don't know, you fool." His eyes narrowed as well; they had a stare down before he gestured towards one of his friends.

"Let's teach the whore," he stressed the word as he approached Rhode menacingly, "her place, boys." Behind her, the girl cackled loudly; Rhode ignored her until the boy with his hand in her hair was close enough, then she swung out one of her clenched hands; she caught his face, making him grunt in surprise. He stumbled in surprise, almost falling to the floor, dragging Rhode after him. She let out a yelp of pain, trying to get away from him while her body unwillingly and instinctively followed.

One of the boys had reach for them at the same time Rhode forced herself to pull away. A knife cut through her hair, releasing her from the other's tight grip, causing her to stumble back and fall back onto her palms, head banging against someone's legs.

Her gold eyes flew open to meet with furious gold.

"What on earth is going on here?" Tyki, who had been sent to get her when she had began taking too long, glared at the four boys around her. He'd expected her to be in the town still, distracted by a pretty trinket, not halfway to their camp surrounded by idiotic village boys.

"Kak!" Rhode scrambled to her feet, throwing her arms around her uncle's waist. She twisted around so she was behind him, her arms still tight around him, her gold eyes fierce again.

"Explain." Tyki ordered the group. A Tease, following high above its master as usual, fluttered down and landed on the leader's shoulder; he cried out in pain and surprise when it bit him harshly.

"It was nothing!" He yelped again, a sound slightly deeper than Rhode's, when the Tease bit him again. "No...it was Lyssa! It was Lyssa's idea!" Tyki's narrowed gaze moved from the boy to the girl who had tricked Rhode. She glared back defiantly before dropping her gaze to the ground.

"You gypsies," She snarled quietly, her gaze still defiant despite not meeting the older boy's eyes, "have no place here! You've no right to come here for any reason!" With a slight growl, she forced her gaze back to Tyki's. "Your whole troupe, master and all, will rot in hell for being nothing more than cheap whores and stupid drunkards! You're all outcasts, all of you! And you're only good for one thing." She spat on the floor between them. "Useless crooks, all you'll ever be good at."

"Your hatred gives you no reason or right to attack an innocent girl." Tyki hissed, one hand held out for the Tease to return to and the other holding gently onto the clasped hands around his middle; it was his silent way of offering comfort, as he could feel Rhode's arms shaking unnoticeably around him.

A noise sounded behind them- - -it came from the village, and Tyki smiled cruelly at the group before him.

"It appears to be getting rather late for boys and girls of your age to be out and about." The group stumbled back slowly. "Good night, all." Tyki allowed a truly evil smile to cover his face and he allowed himself to fill with a sadistic sort of pleasure as he watched their faces fill with fear- - -they knew, after all, his Tease were cannibalistic...

While they all turned and bolted, shoving past one another, Tyki turned to face his niece. Ignoring the arms around his waist, Tyki patted the space behind her head where her braid normally hung.

"My poor darling." He murmured softly, still petting her head. Rhode collapsed against him, her grip tightening as she placed her face carefully in his chest and cried. "I should have come so much sooner." His hand traced the jagged ends of her hair; the knife had cut unevenly due to the angle Rhode had threw herself. It was cut up to her left ear, getting longer at a slight angle until it reached just past her neck by her right ear.

In the middle of the road, where the leader had dropped it when the Tease bit his shoulder, the rest of Rhode's hair lay in a crumpled heap. It was tied at one end, the braid holding firm, and coiled around until it reached an uneven cut, where it had been separated from Rhode's head.

With a sigh, Tyki carefully hoisted Rhode up and began the walk back to their camp.

(Tricia had to even her daughter's hair out, and she did so without complaint; silent tears fell down her face as Rhode sat still as a statue and allowed her mother to cut her hair for the first time since she had been a baby. Both women had loved Rhode's hair, and the sudden loss of it sadden them both immensely.)

They decided to leave as soon as possible, to avoid any other possible confrontations.

Rhode tugged on the ends of her hair. It seemed that without the weight, her hair was naturally spiky. It flew in odd angles around her head, a few falling into her face.

"Do you think Lenalee will like my hair?" She asked pensively, eyes crossing a bit as she stared at a spike in the middle of her head.

"She might." Tyki said gently, his hand in her hair. "It makes you look cute, darling." Rhode smiled briefly, still staring at the lock of hair.

"Do you..." She cleared her throat when her voice came out raspy and harsh. When she was sure her voice was back to normal, she spoke again. "Do you think she'll still dress me up even though my hair's gone?" Tyki frowned slightly, hearing the unheard question in the almost too casual way she spoke.

_Will she still like me even though my hair isn't as long as it used to be?_

"Why wouldn't she?" Rhode shrugged, looking away from her uncle.

"Appearances are important to people like her." She muttered, her arms crossing almost self-consciously across her chest. "And part of dressing me up was doing some crazy thing to my hair that involved a lot of sitting still and a lot of pins. She can't do that anymore, because my hair isn't the same length any more. There's really nothing to do to my hair anymore." Tyki smiled warmly at her, though she didn't see it because she was insistent on looking anywhere but him as she revealed her insecurities.

"She'll find something to do." Tyki assured her gently, pulling her close again and pressing his lips against her forehead. "Don't worry, Rhode. She wouldn't abandon you over your hair. Besides, you know Lenalee isn't like that at all, right?"

"I know." Her words were muffled by his shirt. "I know, truly. But I can't help it- - -everyone would comment on my hair and how it was so pretty, and long..."

"Come on." Tyki pulled away from her. "We have to finish packing up. You'll see Lenalee in a few days, and you'll see that she won't leave you just because of a little thing like your hair. Surely appearances don't mean that much." Rhode made a face at him, her tongue sticking out at him. The expression made Tyki laugh- - -he had managed to successfully pull Rhode from her own depressing thoughts.

"Boys. Men!" She exclaimed, exasperation coloring her tone. "They don't understand how important appearances are!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki saw their usual camp grounds before anyone else; he had ridden ahead of everyone else, determined to get away from them all for just a brief moment. He pulled his horse to a stop in the middle of the soon to be filled site.

It was quiet, and Tyki relished the lack of noise while he could. Once Jasdero and Devito came, the noise-less peace would shatter and be replaced by a different sort of peace, one that was born from the two constantly fighting and making up before fighting again. In their entire troupe, it was always those two who were the loudest among them.

Out of the corner of his eye, something silver flashed and he winced slightly before turning to face it.

Despite the two seasons that had passed from the sudden...departure of Allen Walker, none of the closer-bonded Noah family had forgotten the paler boy. Jasdero would whine, Devito would scowl, Lulubell's impossibly blank stare would get colder and, somehow, more closed-off; even Sheryl and Tricia would get a heartbroken expression on their faces, their hands intertwining as they supported each other silently every time his name somehow managed to slip out. The Millennium Earl refused to acknowledge anything about the boy who had traveled with them, though every now and then there was an aura around him that could only be classified as a deep, heart wrenching depression. He would knit something for each of them, a hat or a scarf or a bag for something, in the colors they had long ago decided on- - -an earthly brown for Tyki, an impressive violet for Rhode, a crimson red for Jasdero and Devito (it had been a deep midnight blue-black before for the two boys; it changed after Allen had begun placing himself more firmly into the life of Kanda Yuu and they realized that the color they had chosen was almost an exact match to the shade of the samurai boy's hair), only to find in the end, he'd created a silver something for Allen as well; some of the time, it ended up in the fire.

Most of the time, though, the Millennium Earl would hold it quietly and sigh deeply as he studied it, creating a picture of moroseness that would make Tyki pull Rhode away from the place they had taken while they watched their leader.

"Allen?" He called out, despite the slightly thickening of his voice. "Is that you?"

There was no response, and Tyki felt his tense body relax slightly. After a few moments, Tyki relaxed almost completely, his hand blindly reaching backwards to touch the side of his horse.

"Look over there, Lenalee!" He heard Lavi's voice coming from the tree and he turned towards it instinctively. Lenalee giggled and Tyki moved toward the duo with a smile- - -it felt as though it had been far too long since he'd last seen the red head.

He found them, Lavi standing among the branches, Lenalee sitting underneath him with her legs folded primly underneath her.

"Who is it you are looking for?" Lenalee turned her head and smiled brightly at him; Lavi spun around so quickly he nearly fell out of the tree. Only a hand grabbing the trunk saved him from falling and injuring himself.

"Tyki!"

"Is Rhode with you as well?" Tyki leaned down, giving Lenalee a hug and pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Lenalee." He smiled a bit at the glare she sent his way. "But I do have something to tell you about her."

"She isn't hurt, is she?" Lavi asked as he landed next to Lenalee.

"No, no, she's fine." Tyki hesitated slightly. "There was an accident with the last town. Rhode ended up getting involved in a small fight, and her hair was cut."

"Is that all?" Lavi snorted, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. Lenalee turned a small glare at him and he shrugged. "Her hair was pretty and all, but it was long as hell, don't you think?"

"How short is it now?" Lenalee asked; Tyki smiled inwardly. It seemed only a girl knew what really happened inside a girl's mind.

"Like this." He motioned with Lenalee's hair, placing his hands around where he thought Rhode's hair would be if it lay flat. Lenalee's eyes widened in sympathy.

"Poor girl." She murmured softly.

"She's under the impression you won't want anything to do with her now that her hair is that short." Tyki told her. "I put her mind at ease for a moment, but the closer we come the more nervous she becomes, though she won't admit it. See if you can't settle her nerves for her once the rest arrive, will you, Miss Lenalee?"

Lenalee's eyes blazed.

"Of course!" She almost snapped at Tyki. "What made her come up with such an idea in the first place?" Tyki shrugged.

"She said something about appearances, and how much you value them, Miss Lenalee."

"Of all the- - -I can't believe- - -" Lenalee seemed to struggle for words. Tyki watched her, amused, before glancing in their usual spot and seeing Sheryl and Tricia arrive, followed by Cross.

"They appear to be catching up." Lenalee's eyes followed Tyki's and narrowed.

"I'll be right back." With that, she stood up and began marching down towards them. Lavi and Tyki watched her go quietly.

When she was far enough, Lavi spoke.

"'Hell hath no fury...'" He quoted softly. Tyki turned to him and laughed.

"Hello, Lavi." The red head grinned at him after another moment of staring after Lenalee.

"Hello, Tyki." He greeted cordially. Jumping to his feet, Lavi stretched and nodded towards the camp ground, where the rest of the troupe had arrived and left a wide birth where Lenalee was sternly lecturing Rhode; Rhode was staring at the ground, hands twisting, but not even the distance could hide the smile growing on her face despite her biting her lip to stop it. "Shall we follow her, then? Make sure she doesn't abuse the girl too much."

"Yes, I suppose." Tyki stood as well; when he made to walk, Lavi grabbed his arm and pulled him close, pressing a firm kiss on his lips.

"Welcome home." The red head muttered, face flushing darkly. Tyki grinned, placing his forehead against Lavi's. It was a routine they had begun shortly after they had confessed: every time they met up, Lavi would tell him the same 'welcome home' because he knew that the gypsy had no true home, almost as if it was a running joke between the two. The greeting made Tyki smile each time, which encouraged Lavi.

"Thank you." They kissed again, Tyki taking Lavi's hand as they did and pulling the red head after him when they parted.

Together, they made their way back to camp.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How did you join the Millennium Earl's troupe?" Tyki was leaning against the trunk of the tree, for once not high above the ground, Lavi in between his legs, the boy's back pressed against his chest and his head on the gypsy's shoulder. His own arms were draped loosely around the red head's waist, and there had been a comfortable silence between them until Lavi spoke.

"Hm?" The red head traced a design on one of his hands, his face slightly red if the way it suddenly heated up was any indication.

"How did you join the Millennium Earl's troupe?" Tyki laughed, leaning his head back.

"It took you almost nine seasons to decide whether or not you should ask such a thing?" He asked, amusement in his voice. Lavi's face heated up a bit more, the red head muttering something about a 'touchy subject' while he waited for Tyki to continue.

"Are you going to answer me or not?" Lavi asked after a moment of silence. His face was still red, though he hid it determinedly from sight. Tyki sighed through his nose, wrapping his arms more firmly around Lavi's waist while his chin found refuge on the red head's shoulder.

"Well," He started off, "I suppose that Sheryl's told me enough times." Tyki licked his lips quickly, and started talking. "I was approximately two seasons of age, and all I had really was Sheryl. He was...oh, about eleven seasons, I suppose. He had stopped on the side of the road with me- - -I believe we had been sent away for safety reasons."

"What kind of safety reasons?" Lavi interrupted suddenly, twisting his head slightly to look at the gypsy out of the corner of his eye. Tyki shrugged, the action more felt by the other than seen.

"I'm not quite certain just whom we were supposed to be protected from," He said, "But Sheryl said that we passed by where our old troupe had been setting up camp when we joined Lord Millennium, and it had been burned to the ground; women, men, children, there wasn't a single survivor among them, with the exception of us." Lavi went quiet, his back and shoulders expanding as he took deep breaths.

"I'm sorry." Lavi said quietly. Tyki shrugged, unconcerned. It wasn't as though he had any memories of the time before or even for a while after they joined the Millennium Earl and his troupe. He'd been too young to really remember anything at the time, not even remembering the amount of pain that came with getting any sort of tattoo on any surface of ones body. Everything he relayed to Lavi now was really Sheryl's memories as they were told to him a few seasons after the birth of his niece.

"At any rate, Sheryl had stopped to rest for a moment when Cross saw us. He'd been riding ahead, and had spotted us long before anyone else did."

"You were saved by _Marian Cross_, of all people?" Lavi asked semi-incredulously. The older red headed gypsy was not known for his kindness and hospitality- - -more for his ability to seduce any woman he wanted and wracking up huge debts that were more often than not unpaid. Tyki snorted, knowing what Lavi was thinking about.

"Cross is only two or three seasons older than Sheryl; he was thirteen seasons when he found us, and at the time he wasn't as...unique or eccentric as he is now." Lavi scrunched up his face slightly, trying to imagine a younger, less drunk, Marian Cross. Maybe with slightly shorter, less wild red hair, and a more open, friendly face.

He couldn't.

"Are you certain it was Cross?" He asked, just to be sure. Tyki laughed.

"Yes. And when Lord Millennium finally reached us, he gave Sheryl a choice: they could leave us be, and leave us to face the world on our own, or we could join them, and have the comfort of another troupe, another family despite how we were thrown together. Sheryl had been warned that we could never leave, and that we'd be getting tattooed, as a sign that we belonged among them as family."

"And Sheryl chose to join you both." The older gypsy heard the disapproval the boy tried to hide; the fact that it was there at all confused the gypsy immensely. Surely joining something that offered protection and a supportive lifestyle when one was unable to do so was a good thing? Their ages of joining where unimportant; Sheryl saw a benefactor providing what he could not, and decided that in the interest of their own survival, they would join. They survived, and the idea of him never having a true choice of joining had never bothered him before.

Did it bother Lavi?

"Twas a better fate than leaving a child and a toddler to the mercy of the world." Tyki said with another shrug that was more felt than seen. "People are not so friendly to gypsies, young or not. At least with them, we'd have some form of protection. And besides that," Lavi felt Tyki laugh softly. The gypsy decided to put the questions he could feel Lavi coming up with off, if only for a moment. "Sheryl had caught the eye of a pretty young gypsy girl. After he joined, they ended up courting each other and got married the first season we were there; and about a season after that, she was pregnant with Rhode."

"That young?" Lavi gasped, twisting around as much as he could to face Tyki. "Tricia was only thirteen when she had Rhode?"

"It's a long standing tradition that generally is upheld in our troupe. Tricia and Sheryl were married as soon as they realized they wanted nothing more than the other when it came to love. Even now, they still want one another, though Tricia was insistent on not having any more children after Rhode." Tyki sighed softly, almost inaudibly. He completed his task; Lavi's mind was no longer on the ages he and Sheryl had been when his brother had consented them to join the Millennium Earl's troupe.

The semi-thoughtful look on Lavi's face, however, promised a question Tyki may or may not want to answer. He raised an eyebrow when the red head opened his mouth but didn't say anything, choosing instead to close it.

"Are you married now, then?" Lavi asked quietly after a silent moment. Tyki seemed startled by the sudden question before shaking his head. If that was the only thing bothering his red head, then he had no qualms about clearing up that particular misunderstanding.

"Rhode and I seemed to be the exceptions to that particular tradition. Lord Millennium brought it up once with me, a few seasons back, but he noted I seemed to lean more towards not marrying anyone in our troupe and dropped it quickly. And Rhode..." Tyki shrugged. "She has always been Lord Millennium's favorite. He treats her like a beloved grandchild, and wasn't so eager to marry her off to anyone so soon."

As Lavi suddenly relaxed against Tyki, the gypsy realized that the revealing of that particular tradition of theirs had worried the other more than he had previously thought. Smiling slightly, Tyki pressed his cheek to the red head's briefly before turning and pressing a soft kiss to the skin.

"If I would marry anyone, it would be you." He murmured in the boy's ear. "Lord Millennium is aware of that; he holds no grudge against you, or me." Lavi turned his head slightly to smile at him, a slightly hopeful look in his eye. "Besides, if both parties truly loved each other, Lord Millennium has no wish to go against them." Tyki's arms tightened around Lavi's waist. "In truth, Lord Millennium is like a doting grandparent. All he really wants is for his family to be happy."

"Like with Allen?" Lavi snorted lightly. Tyki froze behind him, still unused to the sadness and slight pain that came from hearing about the boy. Lavi cursed slightly, turning around so that he was straddling Tyki's thighs and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "That was a low blow." He murmured. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Tyki tried to wave it off. "It's been two seasons since then. You'd think that we were over and done with it, yet..." Lavi didn't say anything as the gypsy sighed. Tyki debated silently with himself before his arms tightened around Lavi's waist. "How is he? Allen."

"He's happier than I've ever seen him before." Lavi watched Tyki's face carefully before he continued speaking. "He still argues with Kanda all the time, but I think that's the only way those two can communicate with each other. He worries about you and Rhode a lot; Jasdero and Devito too. Because you four, well five including him, were the youngest of the main family. And he wants Rhode to know he's sorry about her hair- - -he heard about the attack on her from Lenalee." Tyki nodded solemnly, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the tree trunk behind him; despite his nod, he knew he wouldn't tell Rhode a thing Allen Walker said. It still hurt her to hear his name, something Tyki suspected Allen knew.

"It's good to know he's doing well." With his eyes closed, Tyki felt more than saw the strange look Lavi was giving him. "It would be a shame to have to go through all that with Lord Millennium, and be doing poorly because of something insignificant. The fact that he's doing well means what happened with Lord Millennium wasn't for nothing." Lavi smiled, shifting so that he was half laying against Tyki and closing his eyes. Tyki took a deep breath, his hand entangling in Lavi's vibrant red hair. Lavi leaned into him a bit more forcefully, his head following the movement of Tyki's hand.

"You miss him, don't you?"

"We all do." Tyki responded, sighing slightly. Lavi's hand started tracing patterns on the back of his own hand. "None of us will admit it, but we all miss him deeply." Lavi chuckled under his breath, muttering something about stubborn gypsies. Tyki just smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"LENALEE!" Tyki jumped up in surprise at the sudden anguished cry that suddenly came from the Lee household he currently stood in front of. There was another loud cry, a crash that echoed even outdoors, and silence.

Unsurely, Tyki stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. There was a moment's silence before the door was pulled open by a haggard-looking Rhode. Her hair, where it met her face, was plastered with sweat, and she appeared out of breath. Her clothes- - -a pink tank top and black pants rolled up to her knees, her feet bare as usual- - -were sticking to her in odd places.

"Hi, Kak!" She greeted cheerfully. In the background, there was a loud wail once again.

"What on earth is going on?" Tyki asked, peering around his niece to look in doors. As he did, the house went eerily quiet.

"Ah, well..." Rhode giggled unsurely.

"YOU!" Tyki threw himself backward as a sudden piece of sharp metal (_like the tip of a sword_, his mind supplied helpfully) shoved itself into the space where his head had been. His gold eyes crossed to keep sight of it, so much so he almost didn't see the person behind the sharp weapon.

"Ah..." He trailed off, trying to name the virtually enraged Lee in front of him. "K-Komui? Komui Lee?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY PRECIOUS LITTLE SISTER?" The man wailed. Tyki glanced at Rhode for help, but she appeared just as lost for words as he was.

"We haven't done anything!" Tyki said insistently, placing his hands up in surrender. "On my word, we haven't touched her."

"I don't believe you!" Komui snarled; the sound came out slightly pathetic and whining. "What have you done to my little Lenalee?"

"Nothing!" Tyki repeated, gold eyes wide. Komui didn't answer that time; merely shoved the drill further into the gypsy's face while he backed away as slowly and carefully as he could.

There was another round of silence; neither relented until...

"Brother, leave them alone!" Lenalee came rushing forward, hitting her brother in the head, which resulted in him dropping the sharp object in Tyki's face (it was some sort of a mutated drill, Tyki realized). As he did, the older gypsy got his first look at Komui.

The male was wearing a white coat, and hat what looked like a matching white beret. He had dark purple hair (which made Tyki curious, as Lenalee's hair was a green-tinted black- - -where the hell did the purple come from?) that fell just past his neck, and a thin pair of wire glasses perched on his face. At the moment, he looked a mixture of things: stressed, tired, worried, slightly maniac, and a gleam in his dark eyes that Tyki wanted to say was protective but looked more like complete insanity to him.

"What did they do to you, Lenalee?" Komui whimpered from his position on the floor. "You've never wanted to leave before; why now?"

"Leave?" Tyki echoed cluelessly. "Where are you going, Miss Lenalee?" Despite the amount of seasons knowing the girl, he still added the prefix to her name (it was for amusement as much as respect; he absolutely loved the way her violet eyes would roll whenever he spoke to her formally, and now was no exception).

Lenalee gave him an exasperated look, complete with eye rolling, but smiled at him.

"Yes, leaving." She repeated. "I was thinking of maybe joining you guys this year." Tyki gaped at her, mouth working soundlessly as he took in the new information. Rhode bit her lip, smiling widely yet with a shy tinge to it; she seemed to be the only one aware of Lenalee's plan ahead of time. Komui let out a wail.

"You can't leave your beloved brother behind, Lenalee!" He scolded with a whine. "You don't know if they can keep you safe!"

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions, brother!" Lenalee argued back. Komui shook his head violently.

"You're only seventeen!"

"I'll be eighteen soon enough!" Komui shook his head again, hugging Lenalee around her knees. Tyki raised an eyebrow at the sight; was this really the scientist that was respected for his discoveries?

"He's only like this when it come to Lenalee." Rhode whispered suddenly in his ear. "They're each other's only family, so he can get a little...protective." Tyki watched the exchange for a moment- - -Lenalee was speaking softly, crouched at her brother's eye level so he didn't have to tilt his head back too far; she appeared to be breaking down all her brother's arguments, as he looked on the verge of agreeing.

"Forgive me for interrupting." Komui whirled quickly as soon as the words left Tyki's mouth. The man's quickness startled Tyki, but he didn't let it show. "My name is Tyki Mikk. I'm Rhode's uncle."

"Pleasure..." Komui said slowly, inspecting him. Tyki gulped lightly, ignoring the what-do-you-think-you're-doing? look Rhode was sending him.

"If you wish, I could keep a close eye on Lenalee for you." Lenalee gave Tyki a grateful, yet slightly pained look that clearly read 'I don't want another brother...'; he ignored that as well. Komui's eyes widened, though, and a look of faint horror began to grow in them.

"You're that boy Lavi likes, aren't you?" Tyki nodded once; Komui looked him over again. "You mustn't ever let her out of your sight. And makes sure she writes to me every single time you guys stop." He took hold of Tyki and pulled him close; Tyki could feel the man's breath on his own face. "And if anything happens to her...I'll make sure you pay..."

Tyki gulped; behind Komui, Lenalee began inching her way towards Rhode.

"I love you brother!" Lenalee said, pressing a kiss against her brother's cheek before taking Rhode's hand and pulling her towards the camp as quickly as possible. They both watched her run before Komui's grip, which had been on Tyki's shoulder, tightened painfully.

"If she gets hurt..." Komui started; Tyki gulped, pulling slowly away.

"It's not going to happen." He promised firmly. "You have my word, Komui Lee." Komui narrowed his eyes at him before nodding once.

"I'll hold you to that, Tyki." He waved a hand carelessly. "Now go find them before they get in any trouble."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Six seasons, Tyki mused as he stood with Lavi in their usual tree, was time enough for this to drag on. They had already proven two seasons previous that they felt something for each other, and had slowly gotten closer under the ever watchful gaze of the Millennium Earl, his now constant warnings of treading carefully around the Bookman Jr falling on deaf ears as Tyki allowed himself to fall into Lavi as completely as Lavi fell into him.

It had been almost humiliating, explaining to his leader that he couldn't marry anyone in the troupe when he was eighteen seasons of age and more than eligible for marriage. Even more so when the Earl's smile turned knowing and he'd asked why. Tyki felt his cheeks burn lightly now as he remembered stammering out that he and the Bookman's apprentice had fallen for one another, and had most likely been doing so from the instant they'd met.

Their relationship had, over the past two seasons, gotten as physical as Tyki dared to get. Neither felt the urge to rush the relationship they were creating slowly, hoping that the progressing bond was strong enough to survive any type of struggle that would come across it.

The upcoming departure brought to light the first problem.

"We're leaving soon." Tyki started conversationally. Lavi blinked at him, but Tyki kept talking. "Lord Millennium is considering not coming back for a few seasons, like last time." Lavi winced slightly, but looked down at where Tyki was leaning back against the tree, just a few feet between them as Lavi had pulled himself into a higher branch. The junior Bookman studied him; the relaxed yet tense way he sat against the tree, the white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the way his eyes watched the distance carefully, his hair wild and wavy, in his face and partially covering his golden eyes.

"Is that so?" Lavi hummed in mock-thought, grabbing the branch underneath him and swinging down to sit beside his gypsy lover. "So you won't be returning next season, I assume?" Tyki was quiet for a long time, and each moment he stayed silent Lavi grew more and more worried. "Tyki?"

"Would you like to come with us, Lavi?" The gypsy asked seriously, his golden eyes catching Lavi's emerald. Tyki reached up and gently took off Lavi's eye patch; Lavi let him, despite the burn mark covering his eye and marring his face. Pulling the red-head's face close, Tyki pressed a gentle kiss to his eye, then the other, his cheeks, his nose...his lips.

Lavi touched Tyki's face just as reverently, hoping to draw his mind away from the inquiry Lavi didn't want to answer.

"Please, Lavi." Tyki murmured as they drew apart for breath. Lavi whined and tried to pull him back again, but Tyki resisted. "Answer me, please. Would you come with us?"

"Stop asking such a thing!" Lavi cried, angry for inexplicable reasons. He wanted to go, would follow them in a heartbeat if he could, but... "You know I can't! I won't leave Bookman by himself, and leaving him now would be worse than when Allen left your troupe- - -don't ask something that big of me, Tyki, please!" He pulled himself away from Tyki, burying his hands in his hair. He missed the way the gypsy winced when Allen came up. "Just...please..."

There was a few moments of silence, then Tyki let out a deep breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"I see." Was all he said, struggling to maintain his composure and succeeding slightly. It stung more than he expected- - -but then again, he hadn't expected Lavi to reject his offer (_him_, his subconscious pointed out, _not just the idea, but the person as well..._) so harshly, if at all. Lavi sniffed lightly and turned to face him.

"You could stay here." The red head breathed, reaching out to place his hand gently on Tyki's cheek again. The gypsy kept his eyes to the side even as Lavi gently turned his face towards the boy's own. "Please, Tyki. You could stay with me, and Gramps- - -he won't mind, honest, he won't- - -and you could still see your family, Rhode and Jasdevi and all of them, when they came back every season, after they come back- - -" Lavi broke off, unable to continue as the Noah turned golden eyes on him.

"No, Lavi, I wouldn't be able to see them again." Tyki muttered. When Lavi looked at him curiously, Tyki elaborated. "None of us have seen either Kanda Yuu or Allen Walker in the past two seasons. Did you think that coincidence?"

"N-No, I- - -"

"It's not as easy as it sounds, leaving the Noah clan." Tyki hissed; he could feel the frustration of the situation climbing and he looked away from the red head in front of him. "They don't want to see Allen Walker any more. He's a ghost in our troupe, one that we don't dare to even bring up, even in passing. He's been completely eradicated from our lives. Rhode won't even bring him up in the conversations that we share."

"Tyki, I didn't- - -"

"Yet everything that reminds her of him- - -a flash of silver, perhaps, or one of his leftover belongings, even the space in my tent where he used to sleep- - -every little thing makes us all wince, because while what Allen did was completely unforgivable, he was still family." Tyki locked his eyes on Lavi's again, willing the boy to understand. "We loved and cared for him, and he all but threw it back at us the moment Skinn died. If I did that, if I even considered it for a moment, do you know how much it would destroy them, or how it would shatter Rhode? That her beloved Kak abandoned her for the exact same reason Allen did- - -for a warm house and a tentative relationship that may or may not last beyond the first season?" Tyki sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair as he thought. "I refuse to make the same mistake; I will not abandon my family, Lavi." He said finally, grabbing Lavi's wrist firmly in his hand. "No matter what, I refuse to sacrifice them for you." Lavi's eyes reflected his hurt, and Tyki shook his head.

"What kind of family are you part of," Lavi snarled, trying to push past the pain of their situation; he focused on the anger, trying to lose some of the overwhelming emotions tumbling inside him, "that they would sacrifice the happiness of one person so that they could all stay together?" Tyki was surprised, his eyes wide, but Lavi seemed determined to say what he wanted. "That they would take one no older than a baby and force it into such a hopeless situation as this?" Lavi's eye gleamed with fury and pain. "This isn't family- - -family doesn't consider it a betrayal when one falls in love and leaves to spend as much time as they can with the one they love."

"And Bookman is any better?" Tyki shot back angrily.

"That's different!" Lavi hissed. "I'm all Bookman has. I'm the only other person in the house with him! And he still allows me to come out and spend time with you, because even if he doesn't understand how much you mean to me now, even if he never understands how much I value you, he knows that I'll be miserable trapped in that house while you're here!" Lavi rubbed at his eyes (and Tyki couldn't help think, in some part of his mind that wasn't focused on the argument they were having, how stunning Lavi looked at the moment, with his face flushed and his eyes passionate). "Bookman doesn't distrust everyone who approaches him for no reason, and he let me come when he thought you were all drunkards and thieves." Tyki winced at that- - -was that all people saw when they saw a gypsy? "He trusts that I'll come back to him, and that I won't vanish without a word. Bookman would allow me to leave, as it has always been my choice to follow after him, but I will not allow myself to abandon him after everything he's done for me!" Lavi held his head high, daring Tyki to try and talk him out of it before he spoke again. "Besides, Bookman doesn't take a child in only to turn and abandon him as easily as the Millennium Earl did Allen."

There was silence following the statement; Lavi had meant it to hurt, and the fact that it came from him rather than anyone else added to the sting.

For the first time, Tyki saw the differences between himself and Lavi; the red head was used to a certain comfort he would definitely lose should he choose to follow Tyki and his family. Here, the boy was respected for the fact that, as Bookman's apprentice, he had money. Lavi had everything he would need here: a constant source of the foods he enjoyed, the warmth and constant security that came from living in one home for most of his life, and strong bonds with everyone in the town he resided in.

And Tyki was offering...what, exactly? A chance to be with him in a way they would never be parted, yes, but that was it. Should Lavi follow him, he would be giving up everything. Tyki knew better than he did the dangers of being a gypsy; the tale he'd told Lenalee and Lavi about what happened to Rhode had a more than a few embellishments, as he hadn't wanted the two to worry (it didn't matter anyway- - -Rhode told Lenalee the whole thing anyway). Tyki embraced the unknown, as there was a great deal of unknown factors that came with being a gypsy; not knowing where or when they would get their food while they traveled, or if this would be the season they would have to leave a town behind for good. He was even used to the instant distrust from anyone they came across on the road.

He remembered his question from the first time he'd asked Lavi to join. Who would abandon such a life to live the way he did?

The thought stung more now than it had when he was eleven seasons.

"I should have learned my lesson long ago, should have listened when Lord Millennium told me to be careful, each and every time he's done so in the past two seasons." Lavi blinked at Tyki, confused, as the other stood up. Tyki, for his part, refused to look the red head in the eye.

"Tyki...?"

"I hope you'll excuse me, Lavi." Tyki said calmly, despite the war he could feel growing inside of him. Part of him was furious beyond all belief, questioning everything from Lavi's loyalty to him to whether or not this entire ordeal the red head put him through was just a cleverly-devised plan to hurt him once more; at the same time, he wanted nothing more than to stay with Lavi, to try and reason with the boy, convince him to see things the gypsy's way. It was giving him a headache, and despite his conflicted feelings, Tyki wanted nothing more than to get away from him. "I have to see to Rhode, as it seems Miss Lenalee does not have the same hesitation you seem to be having."

"Tyki, wait." Lavi said firmly. Tyki ignored him, jumping from the tree with the same ease and grace he'd had as a child and landing just as gently on the ground.

"Farewell, Lavi Bookman Jr." The red head in question called after him again, but Tyki bit his lip and ignored him as he made his escape.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is it going to hurt?" Lenalee asked softly, tugging at her long hair. Rhode shrugged, looking over at her uncle.

"I don't remember getting mine. Papa says that I was three seasons when I got them. Kak?"

"It does." Tyki said quietly. "But when it's finished, the pain fades fairly quickly." He looked away from the two girls, glancing out of the tent to the town. "At least, so Sheryl told me."

Both girls glanced at each other, worry in their eyes. It seemed that he had accidentally sent across a double message they picked up on; he hadn't meant just the tattoos.

Tyki listened as Lenalee hesitantly struck up another conversation with Rhode, but what they were talking about was beyond him. He felt as though despite his body being in the tent with the girls, his mind and spirit were millions of miles away. Closing his gold eyes with a quiet sigh, Tyki placed his forehead in his hand and rubbed at his temples.

As he did, he felt the slightly raised skin bearing the cross tattoos on his face. He counted seven, starting with a cross in the middle of his forehead, the one that was slightly bigger than all of them; three sat on each side, even in size and spacing. The same pattern repeated everywhere in the camp: on Miranda's face, even though they were half-hidden at times due to the doctor's long bangs. Hidden away under Allen's shirt, a constant reminder of what he had been a part of and what he'd lost by leaving. On Jasdero and Devito's foreheads, though Jasdero had begun hiding all but the one in the middle of his forehead due to the strange red headband he found (it went around the sides of his head and over the top of it; Tyki was not quite sure what had possessed the boy to buy it, or why Devito even allowed the damn thing in the first place. But he let the boys be, as they had an exceedingly good aim and more often than not shot at the same time; a majority of the clan had learned the hard way that getting hit twice in the exact same second in different areas hurt immensely). He saw them on Lulubell's head, had seen them on Skinn's, and saw them on his brother and Tricia.

A fragment of his story telling to Lavi came back suddenly.

_"Yes. And when Lord Millennium finally reached us, he gave Sheryl a choice: they could leave us be, and leave us to face the world on our own, or we could join them, and have the comfort of another troupe, another family despite how we were thrown together. Sheryl had been warned that we could never leave, and that we'd be getting tattooed, as a sign that we belonged among them as family."

"And Sheryl chose to join you both."

"Twas a better fate than leaving a child and a toddler to the mercy of the world."_

He suddenly understood Lavi's disapproval. Sheryl had been a child when he agreed to become a part of this family, and he himself had had no say in it; Tyki had been brought along because he had been too young to understand what was happening to them. And while he understood his brother's reasoning at the time, and even supported the decision now, he never asked for something like this. He was restricted, tied down to a family that wasn't his own flesh and blood, save for Sheryl and Rhode. There were no thoughts about leaving; Allen had them, those terribly enticing thoughts, and he'd fought against the Millennium Earl up to the moment he had been unceremoniously thrown out, so to speak. Tyki recalled what he had told Lavi earlier, and knew it was true. While Allen leaving them almost broke them, his own abandonment of the family he had for eighteen seasons would destroy them completely. (Not to mention that leaving the Noah and the Millennium Earl would destroy him as well; if not by guilt for betraying the people he'd grown up with and loved, then by the continuity that would occur afterwards. Tyki had no qualms about admitting it at all: he was a gypsy through and though, the blood running deep in his veins and heart; if he had to stay put in one place too long, family or Lavi, he would go insane). There was no choice for him; there never had been one to begin with. The instant the crosses had been inked into his skin, his fate with anyone outside the troupe had been decided and sealed.

For the first time in his life, Tyki Mikk truly regretted having the seven crosses neatly tattooed on his person.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Uncle Tyki." Rhode sat next to her father's brother, watching him as he stared off into the town that was quickly becoming more and more distant. It was still dark, the dawn not yet approaching as the Millennium Earl and his troupe traveled as quietly as they could away from town.

"Hello, Rhode." Tyki greeted, tearing his eyes away from the diminishing buildings to smile at his teenaged niece. Deeper inside, he saw Lenalee hovering behind them, her lip caught between her teeth as she watched the two of them, her hand rubbing at her eyes as she focused on not falling asleep standing up on a moving wagon. In the shade of the wagon they were in, the white bandages on Lenalee's forehead stood out underneath her green-black bangs, her hair falling in layers down her back and stopping midway. "What can I do for you, dear?"

"Cut the crap." She said harshly, pulling her knees up to her chest, the fabric of her long black skirt caught between her thighs and chest. "Please, Uncle Tyki." Surprised by her rather blunt request, Tyki nodded once, looking at her with a bewildered expression in his eye. Rhode sighed and placed her chin on her knees. "It's not fair." She mumbled, feeling her eyes fill with water despite her best efforts.

"What's not fair, dear?" Tyki asked absently, his eyes trailing over to the vanished town. Rhode watched her uncle stare into the darkened distance; before she knew it, a tear broke loose and began trailing its way down her face.

"It's not fair!" She yelled suddenly, the eerie quiet stillness that came with predawn shattered quickly, yanking Tyki's attention back to her as the dam broke and her tears fell freely. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Lenalee take a startled step forward before pulling back. "We pretty much all got what we wanted- - -Lenalee gets to travel with us, so long as she checks in every time we stop with Komui. And, even Allen- - -" She cut herself off with a hitched breath. That was the first time she'd said the pale boy's name since he had been let out of their troupe, and it had slipped out in her distress; she hadn't intended on bringing her once-beloved family member into her conversation with her clearly upset uncle. Tyki, glancing around worriedly, hugged Rhode to him, his hands trailing down her arms and back in a comforting manner.

"Shh, shh, darling, calm down." Tyki murmured in her ear. "Breathe, my dear, don't cry for your uncle, ok?"

"But I don't understand!" Rhode wailed. "Why is it Lenalee can be here, and-and Allen- - -" Her breath hitched again, but she continued nonetheless, trying to act as though she hadn't mentioned him once again. "but-but Lavi can't come with us?" Tyki opened his mouth, but Rhode continued before he could, the tears coming faster; her breath began coming in gasps and making her stutter and trip over her words. It was something she hadn't wanted to say, but she was all too aware that the option existed; in her distress for her uncle, the words slipped out almost against her will. "Or-or better y-yet, wh-why didn't you s-stay with h-him?"

Tyki pulled away from her for a moment, looking seriously at her. Her hair was spiked all over the place, and though she didn't meet his eyes, Tyki could sense her reluctance in telling him such a thing. He smiled slightly, hugging her to him again as he thought of how hard such a thing was for her to say.

"Come now, darling." Tyki said soothingly into the girl's vibrant spikes. "You know I couldn't leave. Despite anything you could say to try and convince me it would be all right, Lord Millennium wouldn't be pleased, and besides, we already lost Allen." He felt her hiccup at the name and sighed. This was what he had hoped to avoid- - -the pale boy was still a sore subject for Rhode. "We can't all keep leaving. And at any rate, I'm a gypsy through and through. I wouldn't be able to settle in one place too long." Rhode sniffed.

"Wh-What about Lavi?" She asked quietly, wiping her eye furiously with her wrist. Tyki felt himself smile again- - -she was trying to hide her relief at the reassurance Tyki gave her that he wouldn't leave. "What excuse does he have, to stay in town and leave you unhappy?" Tyki sighed.

"You know as well as I that Lavi cannot simply just leave, Rhode." He said gently, moving her wrist and rubbing at her eye more carefully and gently, trying to remove traces of her tears. "Lavi is a part of the Bookman estate; he cannot simply pack up and go when he feels like it."

"Why not?" Rhode asked petulantly. Tyki smiled at the pout that graced her face.

"Because, darling, Lavi is Bookman's only remaining heir," however unofficial an heir, Tyki thought wryly, recalling a time when Lavi had told him Bookman had picked the red head off the streets as a child, "and as such, cannot be galavanting across the county with a group of gypsies. Besides," Tyki leaned towards her conspiratorially, and Rhode leaned forward as well. "I hear people of the Bookman estate are trained to be even colder and heartless than the Kanda family themselves." It worked slightly- - -a small smile appeared on Rhode's face, but her eyes remained troubled.

"I thought Lord Millennium didn't like it when we weren't happy." Rhode tried to argue. "Doesn't Lavi know that we aren't coming back next season? Surely you told him- - -"

"No, Rhode." Tyki cut her off gently, shaking his head. "Nothing would have worked out for us. Don't worry, everything will be fine soon." Rhode gave him disbelieving look, an eyebrow arched elegantly over prying gold eyes. "It was a hard choice, darling. It was either I leave, and be miserable because Lavi wasn't with me; or I stay, and be slowly but surely losing my mind and going insane because I can't move freely." Rhode stood up, realizing the situation was a lost cause. "I chose the lesser of two evils, so to speak." Tyki tilted his head back to smile once more at his niece. "I'll still see Lavi every season, when we finally return, so don't worry your pretty head over me, my dear."

Rhode pursed her lips, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, but nodding in agreement as she turned and walked away. Tyki watched her out of the corner of his eye; watched as Lenalee hugged her tightly, her lips moving against Rhode's ear as she whispered what was most likely reassurances to her. Rhode nodded at her, wiping her eyes gently before looking up, hiding Lenalee's face from view as she locked eyes with the older girl.

As they conversed with each other quietly, the older gypsy watched them for a few moments; he turned away when Lenalee wrapped her arms around Rhode again, sighing lightly.

Tyki looked towards the town once more, breathing deeply as the cool air went past him. As he watched, the dawn began, the sun rising behind the town. He shielded his eyes with his hand slightly, looking away after a moment when he heard Jasdero and Devito waking up fully and beginning to argue over something trivial.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rhode tells me you are unhappy, Tyki." He groaned inwardly when he heard the deep voice behind him, carefully blank and devoid of any suffixes to prove how serious a conversation they were about to have. "Is this true?"

"Lord Millennium." Tyki bowed slightly as he turned around, his voice as carefully blank as the Millennium Earl's. "It is nothing, really. I shall get over it eventually." The Millennium Earl made a noise of agreement before stepping in and peering up at Tyki. Now that he was twenty seasons of age, he towered over his leader in a way he hadn't before.

"While that may be true," he started, "that is not what I asked, now is it?" Tyki sighed slightly, running a hand through his hair in slight exasperation.

He was sick of this whole mess. Tyki was tired of Jasdevi's slightly pitying glances at him- - -because yes, both boys would look at him with pity in their eyes from time to time, and it was wrong on so many different levels, starting with Devito's ability to look pityingly at him without making it mocking or into some form of a joke; he was done with Sheryl and Rhode's hushed conversations coming to a stop around him when he passed them by and continued in a hurried manner once he was far enough from earshot. He didn't want to see Lenalee looking at him with that sad expression in her eyes, as if she knew the true reason behind Lavi's refusal, or the sympathy from Tricia and Miranda as the women watched him do his chores around camp.

Tyki was tired of missing Lavi.

"I am fine, Lord Millennium." Tyki said firmly. "It is nothing to concern yourself with, truly." The Millennium Earl ignored him, glancing around the tent while leaning on his walking stick.

"I think you are lying to me, Tyki Mikk." The Earl said cheerfully, though his eyes narrowed at Tyki beneath the shadows of his hat. "You know how I hate lies, Tyki. Do not lie to me." Tyki sighed again, rubbing a gloved hand over his temples and eyes. Despite his subtle pleas to drop the matter, no one in the troupe seemed willing to do that; they either didn't see the hints for what they were, or they were very determinedly ignoring them (Tyki wouldn't put it past any one of them to just ignore his pleas). "I say once more: Rhode tells me you are unhappy, Tyki. Is this true?"

"Yes, it is true." Tyki admitted hesitantly. Anyone else, he'd deny it to the ends of the earth and back. But Lord Millennium required nothing short of brutal honesty, no matter how much it tore at the heart or how much one wanted to deny it. "I am unhappy. Not with you, or anyone else, but with myself for allowing what happened with Lavi Bookman Junior to happen." The Millennium Earl's piercing eyes left Tyki as the young man before him lifted his head in attempt to meet his gaze. Confused, Tyki opened his mouth to question him when the Earl suddenly swung his hand out, away from his walking stick.

"As it so happens, we found a fellow wanderer traveling all by his lonesome a few days ago." He said suddenly. Tyki blinked at the sudden change in conversation, confused by the importance of the statement. "He asked to join and we've already gone through all the necessary trials. Since he passed, he's one of us now, and will stay with you, since you had shared a room with someone else and therefore have the space now that the other person is gone. Understand, Tyki-pon?" The return of the Millennium Earl's beloved suffix cemented the end of the previous conversation, and Tyki smiled slightly at the many quirks of his leader. Allowing the topic to drop fully, Tyki nodded once in agreement.

"Yes, Lord Millennium."

"You can come in now," The Millennium Earl called over his shoulder loudly, causing Tyki to wince and his ever faithful Tease to flutter out of his sleeve and land on his shoulder. Touching the tip of its wing with his fingertip, Tyki raised an eyebrow in interest when a figure stepped into the room, a black hood covering a good portion of the person's face. "Now play nice, you two. Dinner shall be ready shortly. Tyki, you do not have to perform this evening."

And with that final message, the Millennium Earl was gone.

Tyki watched curiously as the person stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Not knowing what else to do, Tyki moved to where Allen used to sleep, pulling the things that gathered on the unused bed off.

"Kasko san?" He asked conversationally. The other person tilted their head in confusion and Tyki sighed, his brow furrowing in his own confusion. There were few other clans that didn't speak the same language as they did, and the fact that the one his new roommate came from didn't speak the same language he did set him slightly on edge. "Whose are you? What troupe did you belong to before?" He elaborated, hoping the other understood that. The person seemed unable to speak, as they just shook their head slowly.

Tyki's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed at the implied answer: he belonged to no clan before this. The Millennium Earl took in an outsider? His movements, though not stopping, became stiff and forceful as he attempted to keep his sudden spike of distrust to himself. Asking permission for Lavi to join if he should choose to was a family decision. Same thing for the girl Rhode had become attached to. Thus, allowing Lenalee to join was one thing, as she had been known to the family for a few seasons beforehand, but allowing a traveler passing by at random was another thing completely. They knew nothing of this person, so despite the obvious trust his leader placed in their newest member, Tyki made a mental note to keep his guard up around this person.

"Kas zhanes?" He asked instead. When no response was forthcoming, Tyki made a 'tsk' noise- - -how unlike him to forget something he'd just learned a moment before- - -and tried again. "Who do you know, here, in this clan?" There was the sound of cloth moving behind him, but Tyki steadily ignored him, his mind racing. There were so many of them...surely he knew at least one of them...

"Several people." The voice was slightly harsh yet calm and completely familiar. Tyki whirled around to see Lavi standing almost uncertainly before him, bandages around his head and a green headband being wrung in his hands unconsciously. "Um, Lenalee, Jasdero and Devito, Rhode..." Lavi met his gaze squarely, and Tyki could see the determination and insecurity clearly in the other's eyes. "You."

"Lavi." He didn't move for a moment, and Lavi took this as an invitation to move forward. "What are you doing here? Does Bookman know? How- - -" Lavi cut him off with a laugh; when Tyki started his questions, the red head had impulsively wrapped his arms around Tyki's waist.

For a moment, Tyki stopped because of the weird sense of deja vu he felt: he could be certain they had been like this at least once before, when Lavi had been thirteen and he had been searching for the camp in a storm just so that they could have some semblance of a peace of mind (not that it worked- - -they'd ended up worrying everyone more because Tyki didn't return at all).

Instead of pushing Lavi away, like he did that night, Tyki pulled the red head closer, closing his eyes and placing his cheek against Lavi's head.

"I'm sorry." Lavi murmured against his throat. "I didn't mean to upset you in any way. I wanted to come, I did."

"Clearly." Tyki smiled slightly.

"Bookman knows I'm here." Lavi said. "Well, he should know I'm here after a bit- - -for all I know, he knows now." Tyki sighed and hugged him tighter.

"So you'll be leaving soon then?" Lavi pulled away, a huge grin on his face, and gently tapped the side of his head; Tyki recalled the white bandages covering the boy's forehead moments before he saw them again.

"Can't." He said simply. "Not without something of a fight, I'm sure." Tyki pressed his fingertips against the white bandages as well, smiling slightly as he felt the thin strap of the boy's eye patch against his head.

Without warning, Tyki leaned down and pressed his lips to Lavi's, his arms tightening around Lavi's waist to bring the red head closer to him. Lavi made an encouraging noise in the back of his throat, wrapping his arms around Tyki's neck and burying his hand in the dark wavy hair to keep the older gypsy in place.

There was a slight battle for dominance before Lavi surrendered; they pulled apart for a brief moment, and Tyki touched the side of Lavi's face yet again. Lavi grinned then pulled away, looking around the tent.

"So I get to share a room with you, huh?" He muttered under his breath, glancing at Tyki out of the corner of his eye.

"I think it was planning on Rhode and Lord Millennium's part." Tyki said. "After all, we do have an extra tent due to Skinn's death." The name was said respectfully, as Tyki knew better than to disrespect those who had already passed on; Lavi nodded once before allowing a wide and playful grin to cover his face.

"Do I really have to take Allen's bed?" Lavi asked playfully. "Can't I just share one with you?"

"Not until we're married, Lavi." He scolded mockingly. Lavi whirled around, the black cloak twisting around his body.

"Let's get married." he said decisively. Tyki coughed into his hand, not expecting the words. Lavi ignored the older's shock, words escaping him as fast as possible. "Whenever. Soon. As soon as possible." Lavi grabbed both of Tyki's hands in his own. His eyes met Tyki's, excitement flashing through him. "We'll go back, and we can have a big ceremony and everything!" Tyki laughed, pulling his hand away from Lavi's and ruffling the red hair.

"You'll have to bring it up with Lord Millennium." Tyki informed him, trying not to laugh as the sentence made Lavi even more excited. "And a gypsy wedding is much different from a regular wedding." Lavi stared at him with wide eyes. "Much more planning goes into one, and as a result they're put off for quite a while." Tyki looked Lavi over for a moment, sighing lightly in amusement. "There is usually a price for the bride, or for the submissive in the relationship, to be given to the father. However, since you've just joined and have no real family among us, I wonder how that would work."

"There's a price?" Tyki shrugged.

"Yes. Sheryl, I believe, had given Tricia's adoptive father a box of gold trinkets- - -bracelets and necklaces and such. In return, he was given Tricia to marry." Lavi made a slight face.

"Can we...skip the bride price?" He asked hesitantly. "It feels too much like you're paying for me, to own..."

"I don't think it would apply here." Tyki shrugged. "This whole thing is already out of ordinary as it is." Lavi smiled slightly.

"Allen sends his best wishes to both of us." He said softly. Tyki swallowed with slight difficulty, and Lavi took his silence as a permission to continue. "He was the one who convinced me to come after you guys now, rather than wait until you decided to come back again...on the off chance that the Mil- - -ah, Lord Millennium," He corrected himself hastily, "would decide to not come back for a long while. And he said that since everyone here knew me already- - -all the important members who decide on everything, anyway- - -he said it might not be too hard to join."

A silence settled over them, thoughtful and comfortable. Lavi watched Tyki as the older thought carefully on what it had meant.

Even now, after he was the one to carry out the Millennium Earl's order to remove Allen from camp, the silver haired boy who had once been a gypsy was still thinking of them all; in some cases, such as his, and Rhode, and most likely Jasdero and Devito as well, Allen was still conscious of them, and worried for their happiness. The thought made Tyki smile gently, albeit a bit wryly; clearly, the boy wasn't about to change his opinion of them due to their circumstances, though he most likely had every right to.

In front of him, Lavi shifted uncomfortably.

"Should I have not brought that up?" He asked quietly, earnestly. "I'm sorry- - -I had been upset, and when I had calmed down you had already left, so I didn't know what to do. Allen told me which direction you usually go in after you leave, so I had- - -" Tyki pressed his lips against Lavi's briefly to quiet him.

"Perhaps," he murmured quietly against Lavi's lips when they separated, "we could have him witness the wedding. As a thanks for his quick thinking."

Lavi beamed.

Ok, guys! I've officially managed to kick myself into gear- - -I made a playlist for myself! XD I dunno if it helps my writing, but it encourages me to write, so whatever. XD this is almost done- - -which is slightly saddening to me (I dunno what's worse- - -the fact that I'm pretty much done with this, the fact that I'm still working on that stupid one-shot that's now reached over 8,000 freaking words, or that I now have to return to a slightly awkward Tyki in 'A Bullet With Butterfly Wings'). As for what happens to Rhode...well. *cough cough* evidently, listening to The Hunchback of Notre Dame while typing up a story about gypsies leads up to odd events happening in my story. Yea. Anyway, there's one last chapter- - -which is most likely the events before, during, and after the wedding (I couldn't find anything about the weddings in my half-assed research, other than they were married young, they placed emphasis on being virgins when they married, and the groom paid a price to the bride's parents, though it didn't say what the price usually was- - -forgive my embellishments, yes?), though it certainly won't be as long as this (it's almost as if this is the final chapter and the next one will be an epilogue, haha) and then onto everything else. As always, thanks to d-gray-geek (it's all good, darling, and I'm glad you use me as your Lucky fix, haha; yes, the other couple is RhodeLenalee- - -I read about it in Yullen, and for some reason I liked the couple; thank you for your continued support, haha, I loveses your reviews, they make me smile!) and Yueaifeng for both of your continued support for this story.

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle 


	7. Chapter 7

Song later on belongs to Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- - -Your Guardian Angel. Enjoy.

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Tyki walked outside to find a lesson going on in front of his tent. Rhode, with one basket of laundry against her hip and another held tightly to her body, was patiently explaining something to Lenalee.

"We wash the clothes separately," Rhode was saying, exasperation and affection mixed in her voice, "Because the garments we use for our lower bodies are more filthy than the ones used for our upper bodies. It's more sanitary to wash them in separate loads so that we keep everything clean." The girl looked thoughtful, her gaze moving to meet Tyki's eyes over Rhode's shoulder.

"Hey, Tyki," She called, making him raise an eyebrow and Rhode turn to smile at him. "Wouldn't it be faster to just wash all the clothes all at once, instead of doing them separately?"

"It might." He agreed, ruffling his niece's hair. "But it would accomplish nothing but contaminating the shirts we wear. You must understand, Miss Lenalee," Tyki continued over Rhode's earlier indignant noise when he semi-agreed, "That the lower body has significantly more germs and diseases than the upper body does, especially a woman's." This time it was Lenalee making a noise in the back of her throat, but Tyki ignored that the same way he ignored Rhode's. "Especially a woman's, because she has the whole bleeding for a week and childbirth, all which occur in the lower body.""So just because we can give birth means we're dirty?" Lenalee asked, her brows furrowed. "But...if that's the case, how do you deal with childbirth?"

"Usually, the new mother is considered dirty," Lenalee made another frustrated noise; again, Tyki ignored her. "To purify her, it takes at least thirty to forty days of avoidance from the other members of the troupe." Tyki smiled slightly, his hand falling on Rhode's shoulder. "It's another reason that Tricia decided on not having another after Rhode. It generally happens in the medical tent- - -which is why Miss Miranda usually sets up a bit further from camp than the rest of us- - -and she is the only one who helps both the baby and the new mother as much as possible."

"That's horrible." Lenalee muttered. "The only way for a girl to gain any respect is through having children, but she is avoided as soon as she has one."

"Only for thirty days, Lenalee." Rhode assured her gently. "And then she can begin to earn respect from the men and women in the troupe." Lenalee gave her a strained smile, taking the laundry basket against Rhode's hip.

"I'll see you down by the river." Lenalee said quietly. Rhode and Tyki watched her walk off, her head bowed in thought.

"Do you think that maybe," Rhode sighed lightly, "Lenalee is regretting joining us? It's been quite a few seasons already, five actually, but she doesn't seem to quite understand our lifestyle yet."

"She may be homesick." Tyki replied quietly. "It would be like you, being around all of us all the time, then leaving us all behind to be on your own. There'd be support where you would stay, but not the same kind you had when you were with us." Rhode looked at Tyki with wide gold eyes as he gestured after Lenalee. "That's how Miss Lenalee feels now. She's spent her whole life with her brother by her side. And though at first she was relieved to be out of his overprotective embrace, she's been away for quite some time and she misses him now."

"So you don't think she regrets it?" Rhode asked slowly. "Coming with us?"

"We may seem strange to her still." Tyki admitted slowly, "Because her lifestyle had been different. But no, I don't think she regrets coming with us." He smiled gently at Rhode, leaned down and pressed a kiss to the largest cross on her forehead, and gave her a slight push in the direction Lenalee went. "Hurry, now, before she thinks you've abandoned her to do the laundry herself."

Rhode smiled at him and darted after Lenalee, basket now balancing precariously on her head as she ran through the camp, singing at the top of her lungs.

"Lord Millennium is in search of you..." As her voice trailed off, Tyki felt arms wrap around his waist and a chin land on his shoulder.

"That was remarkably kind." He shrugged, feeling the edge dig into his shoulder.

"Not particularly." He said carelessly. "I'm very good at comforting my niece when I need to." There was a snort against his neck, and Tyki grinned. "I think you shouldn't say anything, considering your need to stand on the top step of my tent to place your chin on my shoulder, Lavi."

"Ay," The younger boy whined, using his weight to pull Tyki back. "Come inside and help plan for the wedding, you jerk. Don't make me do it all by myself!" With a slight smile, Tyki allowed himself to be pulled back into their tent.

Inside, Tricia sat with her back against Lavi's bed, going through a pile of clothes on the floor before her.

"I've found and hidden the clothes for the ceremony." She said, smiling. "And we sent one of the boys ahead to prepare Bookman. He'll let him know about the wedding. We're almost there, after all, and we have so much to do before we get there."

"Thank you, Tricia." Tyki said, sitting in front of his own bed, feeling Lavi land on the mattress behind him. "What is it, Lavi? I can tell you have something to ask of me." Lavi made an encouraging noise, and Tyki closed his eyes as Tricia left (he deftly ignored the secretive smile that crossed her face as she left). "Now we truly are alone. What is it, Lavi?"

"I was wondering if..." Tyki leaned back against the bed he was leaning against, his head falling back on the mattress to take in the flushing face of Lavi.

"If what?" The red head fumbled for a bit before he spoke again.

"If you really don't mind waiting for us to go back before we get married." Lavi's flush deepened. "I know I've been bringing it up a lot the past season or so, but..."

"Lavi, if I truly minded, we would have been married many seasons ago." Tyki told him truthfully. "There have been so many perfect opportunities. Don't worry about it. Besides," He grinned up at Lavi, who managed a small smile back, "We are almost there. We'll be married soon enough, and no one will remember the past seasons with anything but fondness and enjoyment."

"I understand." Lavi sighed, leaning forward and resting his chin on Tyki's head, his arms draping themselves over the older gypsy's shoulders; his crimson hair fell into his forehead, hiding several crosses from view. They sat in quiet for a few moments before Lavi exhaled sharply and closed his eyes.

"Tired?" Tyki questioned softly, bringing a hand up to tangle in the red locks. Lavi 'mmm'ed and tilted his head slightly towards the contact.

"All the planning is getting to me, I think." He agreed.

"Come." Tyki murmured. "I'll share with you a hiding spot I have found, hidden away from the family."

"You have adjusted to gypsy life remarkably well, Lavi." Tyki told him. "Surely, at least one of your parents had been a gypsy, or part of one. There's no other reason. Even Lenalee, who comes from more or less the same high standard, took a few seasons to get used to our life."

"I'm not sure where my parents are." Lavi admitted to Tyki, both males laying on the ground and staring up at the sky. "Bookman told me a bit, but not much."

"What do you know of them?" Tyki asked curiously. Lavi was laying next to him on the ground, his arm placed under the red head's shoulders while the other was under his own head. Lavi's head was in the space where his arm connected to his shoulder; the two had been relaxing in a spare moment where neither had been needed for any preparations, and the topic of Lavi's parents had somehow managed to come into their idle conversation.

"Well," Lavi shifted slightly on the ground, "Bookman says my father was still alive; I never saw him, but Bookman usually got some money from somewhere to to give to me. He told me once that it came from my father, and was to go directly to me. He also knew my mother, and she had died giving birth to me." Lavi tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "There...was a time when it stopped coming in, whatever money Bookman gave me, but then it started again..."

"Really?" Tyki mused quietly. "And you have no idea of your parentage? Not a word either way?" Lavi shook his head and Tyki sighed quietly. "Huh."

They lay in companionable silence, the first in a long while, merely basking in each other's presence.

"You know..." Lavi turned to face Tyki as the older trailed off, a thought forming in his mind slowly. The older continued to look at the sky, a frown marring his face. "There were times when Cross disappeared."

"Yea?" Lavi closed his eyes and placed his head against Tyki's shoulder once again. Tyki nodded once; Lavi felt the strands of Tyki's hair brush against his face.

"Yes. The adults- - -like Sheryl and Lulubell, and of course, Lord Millennium- - -seemed to know what was going on, but they would never tell us." Tyki sighed softly. "He always seemed just that much more unapproachable once he returned..." He frowned thoughtfully again. "And while we were gone, he always seemed distracted...and he kept looking in the direction of your old village, as if he wanted to go back."

"Do you think that Cross...?" Lavi trailed off; Tyki snorted.

"I doubt it." He said firmly. "Cross isn't the type to father anyone. And it's a rule of the troupe, an unsaid one. You aren't allowed to have a child without being married in the troupe, and it's a firm rule that hasn't been broken." Tyki bit his lip, then shrugged slightly. "Besides, you're supposed to be a virgin when you marry." They lay in silence; Lavi's mind whirled, coming to a halt on a certain thought that made him freeze.

"What if.." Tyki 'hmm?'ed, and Lavi spoke louder. "What if the mother wasn't a gypsy?" Tyki thought it over for a moment; blood drained slowly from his face.

"That's..." His voice caught in his throat and Lavi heard the rest of the unfinished sentence.

_That's very possible..._

After all, the older man practically oozed sex when they traveled for any woman that crossed his path, though he had never married. He never seemed interested in finding a wife, either, and despite appearing to not care and just sleep with whichever woman he could, there was a careful air about him as he did so, as if he was trying to avoid some kind of mistake..."That-That horrible, horrible person!" Lavi growled, getting up. "I've spent years, _years_, wondering, worrying...and all I had to do was walk _into camp and speak with Marian Cross_?" He began stomping back toward the gypsy camp. Tyki jumped up and ran after him, his eyes wide with surprise. He reached for the furious red head's hand, grabbing it and trying vainly to pull the boy back.

"Lavi, wait a moment!" Lavi ignored him, marching furiously through the camp; startled gypsies moved out of his way, Tyki attached to his hand and calling apologies over his shoulder.

A few moments later, Lavi stood in front of Cross, face flushed slightly, as he stared up at the taller man. Tyki was next to him, hand held firmly in his own.

"You knew." He accused softly. Cross, cigarette in his mouth, inhaled deeply then exhaled the smoke in Lavi's face. He gave the younger red head a bored look, subtly searching the boy for whatever it is he wanted to know.

"Knew what?" The words that were normally a question came out as more of a drawled statement. Lavi let out a strangled sound, Tyki's hand holding his own firmly the only thing that kept him from losing his composure and shouting at the older gypsy.

"You knew who I was this entire time!" Cross' eyebrow went up as he inhaled more smoke.

"Of course I did." Lavi's eyes narrowed, mouth opened to make a response; Cross kept talking as if he didn't notice the red read ready to say something. "You were the kid Bookman wanted, and the non-gypsy friend that Tyki managed to make somehow."

"That's not what I mean and you know it, Cross!" Lavi snapped. Cross put out his cigarette and leaned towards Lavi, his own eyes glaring into the younger red head's as he lit another.

"So I knew who you were. Who you are." He snarled quietly, correcting himself before the younger red head could. "All of the adults know who you are." Lavi held his ground, his grip tightening painfully on Tyki's hand, his jaw clenched and teeth grinding together. "None of us said anything, you idiot. And it's a far cry from not wanting to tell you." Cross' eyes were narrow as he stared down at Lavi.

"Then why not tell me?" Lavi asked through his clenched teeth. Cross laughed sharply, pushing back his own mass of red hair out of his face and briefly revealing the seven crosses on his own forehead. Lavi pursed his lips.

"It wasn't my place to tell." Lavi frowned in confusion; Cross kept talking. "Your mother was a woman from a village- - -I don't remember which one now- - -and she had been good friends with the old panda that took you in. I met him once or twice before you came along; afterwards, when I couldn't care for you any longer, I remembered him and gave you to him as soon as I could." Cross brought the cigarette to his mouth again, inhaling the nicotine as deeply as he could. "By the time I saw you again, there was no point in mentioning it or ever bringing it up. You've had a childhood considerably more comfortable than any of these kids. It's something to be grateful for, I'd think."

"How old was I?" Lavi asked almost shakily; his grip on Tyki's hand helped him stay strong. "When you handed me off to Bookman, how old was I?" Cross exhaled the smoke as he thought carefully, his eyes looking at the sky. There was silence for a moment as he contemplated; Lavi was trying to take in the surprising information, and Tyki stood beside him, firmly offering support as he thought over the situation as well.

"Three seasons or so." Lavi's lips pursed.

"Why didn't you just keep me?" He asked angrily, crossing his arms disapprovingly. "Sheryl didn't have the same problem with Rhode, and- - -"

"That man," Cross sighed heavily, almost patronizingly, as if Lavi were smart enough to figure it out himself, "had Tricia by his side the entire time. He didn't have to worry about a baby, work, traveling, whether or not there was enough food to go around. He could take care of the baby, or he could leave the infant with his wife and worry about his lifestyle without a screaming child in the background."

"And my mother?" Cross shrugged a shoulder carelessly.

"I wanted you more than she did." He drawled flippantly, flicking the ashes of the cigarette in his careless manner. "And I barely wanted you to begin with. She tried to kill you before you were born, and I stopped her. Then she insisted on me taking you and staying as far from her as possible." Cross looked away, his eyes trailing up to the sky. "Bitch died after having you, and good riddance."

"Hey- - -" Lavi cried angrily, but Cross leaned forward again, effectively cutting off the younger gypsy.

"Not a word." He almost growled. "That woman deserved nothing more or nothing less. She messed herself up by trying to kill you in the womb, and it affected her earlier than planned. It was her own fault she died when she did, and I have no sympathy for her, wherever she is now." Lavi's eyes were wide with surprise, and Cross leaned back again, his anger most likely spent. "I took care of you alone as best I could for three seasons, then said screw it and gave you to someone I knew would care for you properly. You lived, didn't you? You stand before me now, do you not, asking questions about a past that was best left untouched?" His eyes glared sharply, and it was Lavi's turn to look away. "Don't be a stubborn fool and drag up what's long been buried. Be grateful, you idiot, and leave what's done." Seemingly finished with the conversation, Cross stood slowly, blowing more nicotine in Lavi's face before he turned and began walking away.

Lavi and Tyki stood in silence for a moment.

"Have you ever regretted leaving me there, with Bookman?" Lavi yelled out after him. "Have you ever thought about what would have happened if you hadn't given up when you did, and took me with you instead?" Cross stopped walking, his back to the two young men, not saying a word. He remained that way for a minute, seemingly stunned by the sudden question, then began walking forward again without verbally answering the younger red head. They watched him walk away quietly once again, neither pushing the older man for an answer.

His pause had been answer enough.

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"Today's the day." Rhode spun around her uncle, draping him in flowers. She was already dressed and ready- - -her hair spiked as much as it could be spiked, a piece of cloth tied firmly to her back so that her breasts were covered, a flowing skirt that spun and twisted in the air before settling on her legs delicately, like one of Tyki's Tease.

The cloth around her chest was a pure white, her skirt seeming to change color between gold and amber as she twisted around. A brown belt, decorated with small stones and held together by an intricate knot through a silver circle, was on her waist. An anklet wrapped itself around one ankle, a bracelet for each wrist as well as a necklace that hugged her throat, and intricate beaded earrings decorated parts of Rhode's body. Her stomach, back, arms, and eyes were decorated with black markings; vines appeared to trail up her arms, with a blooming flower on each shoulder. What appeared to be folded wings graced her back, the tips coming to the top of her shoulder blades, while a sun circled her belly button and seemed to grow outward until the edge of its rays touched her collarbone, the design making its way up her front underneath the fabric. Her eyes, a brighter gold than Tyki could ever remember seeing, were brought out by the intricate curves and lines of the kohl. The marks appeared to jump outwards, making her eyes seem bigger than they actually were, twisting around her forehead (though mindful of the crosses there) and cheeks. When she smiled, like she was doing now, the kohl looked even more delicate and intricate; Tyki mentally applauded Tricia's expertise in the make-up.

"Rhode, my dear, calm down." Tricia said with a smile, moving to brush some flowers off his head. Carefully, she worked her fingers through his hair, tying it off with a spare band that she had found in her tent. "We have to do this carefully, otherwise the whole thing will get messed up."

"I know, Mama, I know." Rhode grinned, then reached out and tugged at Tyki's shirt, trying to pull the cloth off by the shoulders. "Come on, Kak, you need to help us get you ready!"

"Rhode." Tricia said admonishingly, though the smile never left her face. "If I have to reapply any of the kohl on you..." Rhode smiled sheepishly now, her hands stilling on his shoulders.

"Yes, Mama." Tricia smiled, then pulled her daughter to the side, making sure the young girl faced away from her uncle.

"Hurry and change, Tyki." She said gently, "So that way I can put it on you as well."

"Of course, Tricia." Tyki removed his shirt and his pants, kicking them aside almost as soon as they hit the floor. He reached for what he was supposed to wear, ignoring the flutter of his Tease against his shoulder. The majority of them were still in what was designated their corner of the tent; it was still far too early for anyone to be up, the sun's rays barely beginning to cover the land.

He wondered how long the two women in his tent had been up.

With an amused smile, he pulled the traditional pants up, tying the sash around his waist firmly. The pants were dark, with designs in gold and silver thread flashing here and there. They were baggy, and settled on his hips comfortably. The sash, a plain black cloth that felt smooth and cool under his touch, wrapped around his waist two or three times before he tied it off in a regular knot.

Tricia was on her knees in front of him the moment his fingers left the cloth, untying his simple knot and retying an intricate one. As soon as she finished, she stood up, a piece of kohl in her hand.

"You were looking." Tyki said softly. Tricia shrugged.

"I am married." She said simply. "Now close your eyes and don't move." Taking a deep breath, Tyki obeyed. Inhaling sharply when the make up touched his face, he remained still as Tricia traced a small shape around his eyes; when she finished with that, she traced another just outside the first one, pausing every now and then as she looked at whatever happened to be her reference for the moment. When she finished with his face, she moved downward; whatever she drew seemed to vary in size as the pattern continued down his arms, back, stomach and chest.

"Lulubell and Lenalee are helping Lavi." Rhode's voice came from his right, and he tilted his head in her direction to acknowledge what she said. "Lulu was going to come here with Lena, but Mama insisted on helping you today, and she brought me with her."

"Is that so?" Tricia's voice came from behind him.

"I wanted to help you with the preparations." She said. "You're family here, yes, but I'm the one who married your brother. I was among the ones most worried about whether or not you would ever marry. I felt it was my duty to prepare you today." Tyki felt the kohl leave his skin. "There. All finished."

He opened his eyes, glancing at Tricia briefly before moving towards the mirror he had in his room.

His eyes widened.

On his face, by his eyes, the markings on the wings of his Tease were drawn. Around them were folded wings, making it look like two of them had settled on his face. The pattern continued down his arms, on his stomach and most likely his back. Black Tease, in various stages of outstretched wings, decorated him; it looked like they were growing from him, and he controlled their flight.

"You look amazing." Rhode breathed quietly. As if to complete the image, the largest Tease had fluttered down, taking its usual spot on his shoulder and flapping its wings twice before it settled. "You're ready now. Right, Mama?"

"Just about." Tricia smoothed his hair, smiling fondly at him as she did now. "You look so much like Sheryl, Tyki. You're almost the spitting image of your brother at your age." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, mindful of the design she had just drawn. "I wish you every happiness, Tyki. Barvalimos and baxt."

"Thank you, Tricia." Tyki replied, kissing her cheek as well. With a smile at Rhode, Tyki ruffled her hair and moved to leave. "I'm going to check on Lavi and see how he's faring under Lulubell."

"I don't think Lenalee will let you." Rhode said, making Tyki stop and look at her. She shrugged a shoulder, making a 'what-can-you-do?' expression. "Something about it being bibaxt to see each other before the ceremony. I'm not sure."

"Wonderful." Tyki sighed slightly before shrugging, mimicking Rhode. "At any rate, I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back soon, ok?" Rhode called her assent, watching her uncle walk out of the tent.

"Rhode, come here." Tricia called. "Help me with my make-up."

"Coming, Mama."

Walking outside, enjoying the cool breeze on his temporarily tattooed skin, Tyki relished in the semi-silence of the camp. He could hear the boys fighting in their own tent, their guns going off every now and then. Lulubell, it appeared, had taken Lavi to the dark-haired woman's tent; he could hear Lenalee talking loudly with Lavi over whether or not it would be appropriate for him to be marked for the wedding.

"Lenalee." He called out, standing a few feet from the entrance of the tent. Her face appeared, her body following soon after; the curtain used as the door was held firmly in place as she moved, not allowing him to see inside to where Lavi was with Lulubell.

"Sastimos, Lenalee."

"Tyki!" She gasped; her face was torn as a desire to touch his arm fought with her unwillingness to mess up the Tease Tricia had drawn on him. He chuckled at her, his fingertips touching her forehead softly. "Tyki, what...?"

"It's a tradition." He said. "The people closest to the couple getting married are decorated in kohl. It's almost like dressing up family members." Lenalee opened her mouth, "I know you still don't understand most of our customs," her face flushed now, "But this one is a tradition everyone has upheld for years in the troupe."

"All right."

"I'll uphold your tradition, then." Tyki smiled and ruffled her hair; it wasn't in pigtails, instead trailing down her back in a braid. "I won't see Lavi until the ceremony." Lenalee smiled and raced back into the tent when Lulubell called her, waving over her shoulder at the older gypsy.

Despite her efforts, the door was pulled open when Lenalee went inside; the only thing Tyki saw was Lulubell's face, relief and annoyance mixed on her face and in her gold eyes.

Resuming his walk with a smile on his face, Tyki turned in time to just barely avoid coming into contact with a hooded figure.

"Allen?" The head lifted slightly at the name, and a flash of pale skin was shown.

"Tyki." He said carefully. His voice was guarded, as if the boy was unsure how Tyki would react to finding him on the campgrounds. "How have you been, Tyki?"

"Drop it." He said. Allen seemed to jump, but Tyki continued. "Lavi and I want you and Kanda here. We would have told you sooner, but things got busy." Allen was quiet, almost as if he didn't know what to say.

"We'll leave right afterwards if it would make you all more comfortable, Tyki." He replied hesitantly; his hand was semi-outstretched, as if he wanted to touch Tyki but wasn't sure if he should.

Tyki grabbed the boy's hand firmly in his own.

"The abiav." Allen looked at Tyki, his face mostly hidden by the hood he had pulled over his face. Tyki stared back, face set. "You can leave after that, but at least get some food in you both." He saw what could have been a smile cross the boy's face, but it was hard to tell with the hood shadowing Allen's face.

"All right, then." Allen said quietly. His hand gripped Tyki's tightly before he released it and both hands fell back to their respective owner's sides. "Until then, Tyki."

"Allen." As the boy vanished, something he had always been good at, Tyki heard the combined sounds of two guns being shot at the same time; with a sigh, he turned to Jasdero and Devito's tent.

"Will you stop shooting so early in the morning?" Devito's head popped out of his tent, Jasdero's underneath it. Both boys had mussed up hair, Jasdero's falling in tangles and waves; his headband, a normal sight since he'd bought it, was nowhere to be found.

"We're trying to get ready for your wedding, jackass," Devito yelled out at him. Jasdero giggled, pulling up the edge of the tent to cover his stitch-up mouth.

"We'll stop, we'll stop." He called, "For now. Hee hee!" Tyki rolled his eyes, but stopped short when Cross came up to him.

He'd never really liked Cross; the man was older and wiser in a way Tyki himself would never be, and he had only recently discovered that the older gypsy had suffered in a way he would never have to. While he respected Cross, he liked Cross about as much as his younger self liked Skinn Bolic. Maybe even less than that- - -he wasn't quite certain.

"You." Cross placed his hand heavily on Tyki's shoulders, his other hand touching the underside of Tyki's chin so that his gold eyes met the older emerald. "I have known you longer, but he is still my son in a way you will never be. So you shall receive my warning first; don't mess with him. Don't you fuck with him, ever." Tyki opened his mouth to retort- - -he could hardly hurt Lavi any more than Cross himself did- - -but the look in the other man's eyes stopped him before he even opened his mouth.

There was a dark look in his eyes, aimed directly at himself, and Tyki understood.

This was his last chance to be anything close to fatherly. He had failed before; three seasons was hardly something to be proud of, even if he had carried the burden of it alone until after he and Sheryl had been found. Giving money to a wealthy man more than capable of caring for his own child had left more of an impact on the man than anyone could have ever guessed. When they had confronted him about it earlier, he had made no mention, no motion to accept Lavi. Yet now, here he was telling Tyki to not hurt him any more than he had already been hurt. Cross saw this as what it was: a last chance to mend the bridge between himself and Lavi.

And who was Tyki to deny him anything?

"I'll protect him from everything." He said firmly, hand coming up to hold onto Cross' firmly, allowing him this last chance to do something right; at the same time, the unspoken message made the air between them vibrate with emotion.

_I'll protect him from everything, and I will do a better job than you did._

Cross cleared his throat after a moment, patting Tyki's shoulder as he looked over at Lulubell's tent, where Lavi was being prepared. He seemed hesitant.

"I'm sure Lavi would appreciate it if you at least tried to mend things between you today." Cross's eyes met his again, and Tyki shrugged. "It's a big day today, and family is more important than anything at the moment. After all, we only marry once." A shadow of what could have been a smile crossed the older man's face.

"Right." And with that, he moved towards the tent, Tyki watching after him with something like a smile on his own face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki felt anxiety running through his body; it clearly showed on his face because it made Tricia laugh.

"Calm, Tyki." Her hand reached to grab his shoulder, paused, then landed on Tyki's head gently. Tricia smiled at him comfortingly. "If you keep pacing, you'll walk yourself right out of the tent and much further than any of us will ever go."

"Really?" Tricia shook her head and allowed her hand to fall from her brother-in-law's hair.

"No, not really." Tyki sighed. "But you need to calm down, my dear. It will do you no good to be stressing out like this."

"I know, I know."

"You've both memorized what you're to say?" She asked. Tyki nodded soundlessly; his Tease fluttered on his shoulder. "Then you've nothing to fear. Things will go well, I promise." Sheryl came in before Tyki could reply, kissing his wife's lips briefly.

"It's almost time! Why are you still here, little brother?" He cried excitedly, his hand grabbing the back of Tyki's head and pulling him forward. "Come, come, Lord Millennium is ready to see you and Lavi for the ceremony now!"

He all but dragged Tyki to the entrance of the only tent that they rarely used.

In front of the entrance, Sheryl looked at Tyki once more, a soft smile on his face.

"This is it, Tyki." Sheryl said softly. "Once you go in, you'll never be the same man you are now." The older gypsy smiled sadly at his brother. "Time goes by so fast- - -but things will go well for you both, I know it." Sheryl brought Tyki's head down, pressing a quick kiss to the untouched skin. "Baxt, little brother." Tyki nodded his head in acknowledgement before entering the tent slowly.

It was dark, despite the midday hour of the sun, and lit by candles strategically placed around. Tyki stepped slowly, carefully inside; he heard more than saw someone enter the tent.

"Lavi?" He asked, just to be sure; no one else was allowed in the tent now, besides the Millennium Earl and the two intended, but it was dark and he was nervous (though never in his life would he ever admit such a thing).

"Tyki?" Lavi's voice whispered back; his fingers reached out and brushed against Tyki's palm. He allowed the contact briefly before he pulled his hand away, careful to not mess up the kohl painted on them both.

"Come here, both of you." They moved into the tent, coming to a stop just before the Millennium Earl himself. The leader of their troupe looked serious in a way Tyki had never seen. His glasses were alit with candlelight, his normal outrageous clothing replaced with something more formal, more traditional. He was barefoot, as was Lavi and Tyki, his pants baggy and tied firmly around his waist; his chest and arms were covered with a decorative white cloth, tied intricately around his body. Tyki knelt at the Millennium Earl's feet, Lavi doing the same. They bowed their heads as a sign of respect, allowing him to begin. "State the name of your intended, and any familial relations."

"Tyki Mikk, brother to Sheryl and uncle to Rhode Kamelot, adopted into the Millennium Earl's troupe." They both turned to Tyki, who hesitated slightly before he spoke.

"Lavi...Cross." The red head gaped softly at him. The Millennium Earl studied Tyki from under his hat, and Tyki continued. "Adopted into first the Bookman clan, and then again into the Millennium Earl's troupe. Son of Cross Marian."

The Millennium Earl looked at him appraisingly, then nodded once and reached to his right. He pulled out a sword, the one he normally used for occasions as important like this- - -the silver gleamed in the candlelight, the dark amethysts sparkling gorgeously in the low light- - -and placed it, tip down, in the earth between Tyki and Lavi.

"Place your hands on the hilt." Tyki and Lavi obeyed, Lavi placing his hand on top of Tyki's. "In this moment, you take vows to stay together for the rest of eternity." The Earl's voice took on a tone of familiar power, and Tyki could close his eyes and let the power of his leader's words wash over him. "Let no one come between you, and banish anything thoughts that allow yourself to not stay faithful to the one you are intended with. There shall be no secrets kept from on another." The Earl placed one hand on Tyki's forehead, the other on Lavi's. "You two intended shall be bonded through all things bad: through the times when we struggle the most with money, food, hatred from others; when there is loss in our family, when there seems to be no hope, faith, or when everything goes wrong, you will have each other to support and be supported by. Likewise, you shall be bonded through all good times: when there is birth, an abundance of joy and material things, when we are as accepted as entertainment as a whole, you have one another to share joy with."

"I shall have no other by me after this; you shall be my one and only, until the day I perish and many more days after that." Tyki responded quietly, his grip tightening on the silver sword. "I shall stand by you with support for the bad times, and to share joy through the good times. I swear to keep nothing from you, and shall share with you any knowledge I gain. I banish any thoughts that would allow me to stray from you, my intended, and I refuse to allow anyone to come between you and myself."

"The same for I." Lavi's fingers tightened over Tyki's as well, his voice steady despite the shaking in his hand. "I shall have no other by me after this; you shall be my one and only, until the day I perish and many more days after that. I shall stand by you with support for the bad times, and to share joy through the good times. I swear to keep nothing from you, and shall share with you any knowledge I gain. I banish any thoughts that would allow me to stray from you, my intended, and I refuse to allow anyone to come between you and myself."

"And the blade cuts diagonally across your palms," The Millennium Earl took their free left hands, slicing them both across the blade, "And the blood spilt between the two strengthens the new bond." He led both hands to identical cups before them, allowing the blood to mix in with the wine before tying each hand with a small white cloth to stop the bleeding. He lifted the cups, swirling them around and thoroughly mixing the blood-wine and switching the positions; the cup with Tyki's blood was placed in Lavi's hand while Tyki took the cup with Lavi's blood. "The shared pain allows them to come together more firmly, and the shared drink represents the shared pain and pleasures they shall experience together."

Tyki drank from the cup, watching Lavi do the same. It was sweetened, the flavor only slightly tampered by the blood from Lavi's palm. They placed their cups down at the same time, and the cups as well as their wrists- - -Tyki's right to Lavi's left- - -were tied together.

"The first half of the ceremony is complete." They stood together, and the Earl placed a hand carefully on each of their shoulders. "Now you shall go the others and prove what you have sworn to each other here."

They stood, bowing to the Millennium Earl as they did so, and left as carefully the way they came.

Outside, the sun had moved sightly, and Tyki could see the troupe surrounding the tent. He saw Bookman and Cross to his right, where Lavi was, and Lulubell, Jasdero and Devito, Rhode, Tricia, and Sheryl filling the spaces in front and to his left. Beyond them, he saw the other members: Lenalee and Miranda, Lenalee's older brother all but hanging off his sister's shoulders. Lenalee also had what was more than likely her brother's science team around her, each of them looking excited but slightly uncomfortable.

And beyond them, almost hidden from view, two cloaked figures that could only be Allen Walker and one Kanda Yuu. The fact that they came did not escape either his or Lavi's attention, and they shared a look together.

Tyki felt his heart stop for a moment when he saw Lavi fully for the first time.

His kohl was dark, bringing out the color of his eyes and darkening his skin elegantly. The design Lulubell had chosen seemed mindless in its twists and turns, but a distinct pattern of something ethereal covered him from his shoulders to his naval. His pants, in contrast to Tyki's dark ones, were white with silver thread, his red tie a stunning silvery-blue that Tyki had no doubt was tied by Lulubell herself. Tyki stared slightly, forgetting their audience for a moment before coming back to himself with a start when Lavi jolted their hands.

"As proof of our union, we present our hands, tied together to represent our new bond!" Tyki held up their joined hands for all to see, and could feel Lavi's smile widen. He flushed lightly, grateful for his dark skin and the darker kohl forming his Tease's wings on his cheeks. "From this point onward, any words or actions against either myself or Lavi are words and actions against us as a whole. We are joined, heart, body, mind and soul, with the blessing of our families and our Lord Millennium as support."

The Earl, hand on either boy's head, addressed the crowd as well.

"Under the laws of our ways, these two are bonded in the most sacred and welcoming trials of marriage. They have vowed to have no other than the one beside them, keep no secrets and tell no falsehoods. With the power I have as leader, I declare the marriage ceremony completed." There was a loud cheer from the troupe. Tricia smiled through tears falling down her face, and even Sheryl fought against tears as he held his wife by her waist. Lulubell was patting Rhode's head, both girls' kohl smearing a bit as tears trailed their faces as well.

"And now, we'll eat!" Lavi yelped slightly when Tyki leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips, as if to seal their marriage.

"Lavi is right." Tyki grinned to the troupe, holding their conjoined hands higher. "Let the feast begin!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki stood by Lavi amongst the crowd of people, talking and celebrating with everyone they came across. His hand was firm on Lavi's elbow, making sure they didn't get separated among the crowd of people; Lavi's hand held just as firmly to the red belt tied around his waist so that he wouldn't get left behind.

A sudden hush came over the crowd, one too noticeable to mean nothing but the fact that Allen Walker and Kanda Yuu had revealed themselves to everyone.

True to his thought, when Tyki turned he came face to face with silver hair and cobalt eyes.

Kanda looked older. His hair was longer, held up in the man's familiar ponytail. He was wearing a black cloak, the hood laying on his back where he almost carelessly threw it off. Strapped to his waist, just visible underneath the cloak as he unbuttoned it, was the familiar sword Mugen. He wore black pants and boots; despite the cold, the only thing he had to pass as a shirt were bandages that covered the entirety of his chest and stomach. His cobalt eyes, sharper than Tyki ever remembered, were trained solely on him and Lavi.

Despite the tenseness of the situation, and his normal cold demeanor, his dark eyes spoke volumes of the relief and joy he felt at seeing the two again, especially on such a happy occasion; somehow, he managed to promise painful death to Tyki (for the instance he should ever purposefully harm Lavi in any way; the red head was really his best friend, no matter how much he protested, and Tyki could see how much the samurai cared for him through that one glare) as he greeted him in his normal way.

Allen, on the other hand, looked almost exactly as Tyki remembered him. His silver eyes were wide and innocent, the red tattoo crossing his eye standing out more prominently. His silver hair had grown slightly longer- - -there was a red ribbon tying the strands back. He wore his typical long sleeved shirt; it was covered by a dark vest and the overcoat he wore. The black coat was a few sizes too big for him, and he held the hood as if he feared having to put it on again. He wore the same black pants and boots as Kanda, but his demeanor was completely opposite the samurai's.

He greeted them both warmly, hugging first Lavi then Tyki; he held onto the older gypsy as though he were a lifeline, one he never wanted to let go of. When he pulled away, there was a warmth in his eyes that Tyki realized he missed more than anything, and it was that that made him pull Allen towards him again and hug him even tighter than the paler boy did.

"Congratulations, Tyki." Allen murmured into the gypsy's ear.

"Thank you, Allen." Tyki muttered back. The pale boy stepped back just as Rhode came forward, eyes alight with fury.

"What is the meaning of this?" She snarled, hands clenched. Her eyes met Allen's, and the fury remained despite being slightly dampened by a pained look. "How dare you show yourself here?"

"Calm, Rhode." Tyki placed his hand on his niece's shoulder; she whirled around, the skirt of her dress fluttering around in the air before settling on her legs. "Allen is here on our account. Perhaps it is time," His gaze moved from Rhode to Allen, then to the Millennium Earl, who sat at the head of the table as always, "to put an end to this, hm?" Rhode glared at Allen distrustfully for a moment; almost awkwardly, with a tentative smile, Allen held his arms out as if to offer a hug.

Rhode turned away, looking up at her uncle and hugging him instead. She pressed against him carefully, her arms draping around his waist lightly so as not to mess up the kohl on the both of them.

"I hope you and Lavi are happy like Mama and Papa are, Kak." She whispered before releasing him and rushing past Allen and Kanda to reach Lenalee. Allen watched her leave, a disheartened look in his eyes.

"Give her a moment." Allen turned to Lavi, the red head offering him a wry smile. "She hasn't seen you in..." He frowned, trying to do the math in his head. "Almost seven seasons." He patted Allen's head as if they were kids again. "Just wait a while, ok?"

"You look like you've adjusted to gypsy life, Lavi." Allen smiled, making a face at Kanda when the other man made a 'che' noise and crossed his arms. Lavi flushed lightly, but his smile widened.

"Idiots like him can adjust to anything." Allen looked like he was fighting to keep a polite smile on his face as he rounded on Kanda.

"Can't you at least try to be happy for Lavi today?" He all but growled out. Kanda raised an eyebrow at him, and Allen glanced around, embarrassed; his next words came out quieter, so as to not draw too much more attention to them. "The man's married now, Kanda. This is supposed to be a happy occasion, remember?"

"It's an interesting life, Allen." Lavi admitted with a laugh, interrupting whatever Kanda had been about to say. "I'm having more fun than I thought I would. I really feel at home." He bit the inside of his lip, his gaze sliding over to where Cross was drinking heavily, a bottle in his hand. Allen laughed.

"You sound like you were born a gypsy." Lavi grimaced lightly, making Tyki wonder what Cross had said to him before the ceremony, but Allen didn't notice it. "What do they have you do, Lavi?" The red head opened his mouth to answer; before he did, ("I help build and repair- - -") two loud cracks cut through the air. Kanda's hand moved to Mugen instantly, the sword half-drawn to defend. Allen jumped as two bullets hit the ground just in front of him, each metal object dangerously close to his sides.

The rest of the troupe, used to both the sounds and the danger that came soon after, merely moved out of the way as the two bullets buried themselves in the dirt.

"So, you've decided to come back here, huh?" Allen turned to see Devito standing a few feet behind Kanda, Jasdero sitting on the darker boy's shoulders with his elbow buried in the dark hair. They were on top of a stall, reminding both Tyki and Allen of when Tyki stood at a higher distance. Both boys had their guns out, aimed at Allen. The barrels were smoking. "We missed on purpose, you know."

"Yea, on purpose!" Jasdero giggled madly, picking up his hand from where it was resting by Devito's ear and placing his head in it. "It hurts, when we actually hit." He giggled again, hugging Devito's head suddenly, his chin landing in the dark hair next. His gold eyes, however, were cold when they met with Allen's.

It was a tribute to how often they did this that Devito did not lose balance on the beam they were on by the sudden jar.

"Why are you here, Allen?" He asked.

"Tyki and Lavi asked Kanda and I to be here." Allen called up. Jasdero and Devito's eyes flashed dangerously; they cocked their guns again with an audible click that echoed throughout the area.

"Try again." Devito said with narrowed eyes.

"Again, again!" Jasdero slid down off of Devito's head, moving so that he stood back to back with the other; their guns aimed at Allen again, Jasdero's in his left hand and Devito's gun in his right.

"That's enough, Jasdevi." Tyki stood beside Allen, looking up at the two boys. "Come down now, and talk this out. You shouldn't be shooting at people...especially when one of them has no reason to hesitate when it comes to slicing the hell out of both of you." He motioned to Kanda, who had withdrawn Mugen fully, the sword held in a defensive position. Devito's top lip curled as he snarled quietly, Jasdero giggled in an out of control manner, but both jumped easily from the top of the stand and landed gracefully on the ground.

"So," Devito twirled the gun by the trigger as he nonchalantly walked forward.

"Let's talk." Jasdero mimicked the other boy's action, both coming to a stop on either side of Kanda. "But first..."

"Put that thing away." Devito snarled out quietly.

"Away." Jasdero echoed, giggles heard under his breath. "After all, you're in our camp." He beamed up at the older boy, a maniac gleam in his eye as his finger twitched repeatedly on the trigger. "We outnumber you."

Kanda's eyes narrowed even more as he took in the boys on both sides of him before reluctantly sheathing Mugen again. Devito smirked in triumph, moving forward to stand in front of Tyki, Allen, and Lavi.

"So," He drawled out, "the young runaway gypsy returns to his old troupe for..." Jasdero's eyes flashed; in an instant, they both had the barrels of their guns against a side of Allen's head. "What, exactly?" Gold eyes clashed with silver as each boy glared at each other.

Allen, to his credit, stood firm; he didn't even flinch when the warm gold metal pressed against his temple.

"I didn't return for anything." He said clearly, eyes moving to each boy. "I came with Kanda so we can congratulate Tyki and Lavi today." Devito pressed harder, a crazed grin on his face.

"Wrong answer." He said. They were quietly assessing each other; Jasdero broke the silence with a familiar sentence.

"Give up yet?" Jasdero giggled, the laughter sounding more crazed then it had been a few moments earlier. Devito's eyes widened, sadistic glee filling them as both of their fingers tightened on the trigger.

"We'll shoot." He sang out. Allen looked between the boys, studying them intently for a moment.

"No, you won't." He said confidently.

Tyki watched the exchange with another feeling of deja vu; he remembered the boys doing the same thing when they were much younger, and prone to fighting with Rhode over Lero. He had made them yield when they aimed their guns at Allen with a cold glare; though he glared at them now in the same manner he had back then, the older gypsy doubted it would have the same effect on the two.

Their eyes met his briefly, though; at the look in his eyes, they faltered, glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes. They seemed to have a silent conversation (_you shoot first_; _I don't wanna! You shoot first!_), then Devito dropped his arm, stepping back so that Jasdero could copy him like the blonde always did.

"You always could tell if we were serious or not." Devito muttered under his breath, pulling Jasdero to his side by the blonde's waist; he kept a firm grip on Jasdero, not allowing the blonde to move away. The gun twirled a few times before coming to a stop, aimed as always underneath Jasdero's face.

"It pisses us off that you still can, even after all this time." Jasdero hung half-off the other boy, free arm draped over his shoulder while the gun pressed against Devito's head. Their gold eyes looked Allen up and down with no malice, though they clearly did not trust Allen just yet. Allen gave them the same tentative smile he had given Rhode; they didn't completely ignore him as Rhode had, but they offered nothing else in return.

"Jasdero, Devito, listen to Tyki." They all turned at the voice of the Millennium Earl. Allen seemed to pale a bit, but he stood tall before the man who had been his former leader. In turn, the Millennium stopped between Lavi and Tyki, gaze locked on Allen's. "Hello, Mr. Walker."

"Lord Millennium." Allen bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect. Surprise radiated off the gypsy leader when Allen addressed him; the silver-haired boy licked his lips and took a small breath; Kanda stepped up behind him, hand on Allen's lower back as the pale boy straightened up. "It's good to see you well."

"Little Rhode has told me that you have been allowed here because Tyki and Lavi wanted you to be here." Allen glanced at the two before nodding firmly. The Millennium Earl pursed his lips slightly, and they all could hear how strained and overly polite his next words were; not because he had to say them, but because of who it was he was saying them to. "It isn't my place to deny anything at the wedding of any two members of my troupe, so you both are welcome to stay as long as you want. Enjoy the party, boys." He turned, stopping to look at Tyki. "I want to see you afterwards, Tyki-pon." He smiled at the rest of the group, nodded stiffly at Allen and Kanda, then walked away.

"Whoa." Allen sighed slightly, an awkward look on his face as he realized just where Kanda's hand was, before offering a small smile to the boys around him. "I hope you don't get in too much trouble over me, Tyki." Tyki shrugged almost carelessly, waving a hand while wrapping his other arm around Lavi's waist.

"It's most likely nothing." He said carefully. "I hadn't told anyone you were coming, so it was probably shocking for you both to reveal yourselves." He smiled slightly at Allen, his eyes looking slightly unfocused on the pale boy. "Do enjoy yourselves as much as you are able to." Allen couldn't hide his smile, especially when a young boy toddled over, no more than two or three seasons of age, and tugged on his pants; the toddler looked up at him curiously, his head bandaged to prevent anything infecting his new tattoos.

Smiling up at Kanda, Allen knelt down and took the boy's hand. As soon as he did, the toddler bolted, still holding Allen's hand. The older let out a startled cry but quickly found his bearings, regaining his balance. After a curt nod, Kanda followed after him, eyes trained on the silver boy.

"Tyki, Lavi!" Both turned as Sheryl approached, arms draping over both boys, not minding the kohl still covering them. His hand landed briefly in Lavi's hair, pulling the boy close to press a kiss to the red hair. "It's wonderful to officially have you part of us again, Lavi." The red head glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but Sheryl continued. "At any rate, boys, you need to enjoy yourselves more! There is much too much tension here!"

With that bright message, the older pushed both boys into a crowd of gypsies. They stumbled into the mass; together, they were jostled together until they were face to face with one another. With a smile, Tyki took Lavi's hand in his own and with a grand swirl, spun the younger in a circle amidst the group.

He pulled him back, moving against the other as Rhode leapt on the top of a stall. Sheryl, standing just underneath it with a guitar, motioned to his wife; she stood beside her daughter, a hand pressed against the younger gypsy's shoulder.

"Stop! Everyone, stop!" Slowly, the troupe looked towards the family of three. Tricia smiled, looking slightly uneasy about being so high above the ground. "Rhode wants to sing a song for the happy couple, as a wedding gift."

"She's practiced really long and hard for this." Sheryl added, strumming the guitar seemingly aimlessly. "I hope you enjoy this, you two." Tyki nodded his head slightly, and Lavi cheered for the young girl. Tricia smiled once more before shakily getting down again. Sheryl momentarily abandoned his guitar, allowing the strap to cross his chest to help his wife down. As her feet touched the ground she kissed him briefly before slipping into the crowd again.

As she did, Sheryl began to play properly.

"When I see your smile, tears run down my face." Rhode held her hands out in front of her, her eyes closed as she sang out over the silent crowd. "I can't replace. And now that I'm strong, I have figured out how this world turns cold and it breaks my soul. And I know I'll find, deep inside me, I can be the one."

Her eyes opened and she smiled at the two members of her family; her gold eyes glittered in happiness, her vibrant spiky hair blowing slightly in a breeze that seemed to only be felt at her altitude.

"I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever." She took a step to the side, her ankle-length skirt fluttering around her legs as well. "I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to Heaven. It's ok, it's ok, it's ok."

Her arms moved as gracefully and carefully as her legs did, an ethereal glow coming over her as it always did when the girl performed. It was highlighted when the sun began setting, the glow from the sun dying the girl red and giving her a healthy glow of her own.

"Seasons are changing and waves are crashing and stars are falling, all for us," Each thing Rhode said was punctuated with an elegant spin, her bare feet noiselessly padding across the wooden beam. "Days grow shorter and nights grow longer- - I can show you, I'll be the one."

Her gaze locked with Tyki's; for a moment, Rhode's song went directly to the married couple whose wedding they were celebrating.

"I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to Heaven. Cause you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart, please don't throw that away."

She spun on the beam, keeping her balance as easily in the air as if she were on the ground. Tyki watched as Sheryl's eyes flickered upwards to keep a wary eye on his daughter. Rhode didn't seem to notice or care, her entire body expanding to the words that slipped out of her mouth.

"Cause I'm here for you. Please don't walk away and please tell me you'll stay. Stay. Use me as you will, pull my strings just for the thrill. And I know I'll be ok, though my skies are turning grey."

Tyki felt Lavi's arm slip around his waist, and he mimicked the action by wrapping his own arm around Lavi's shoulders. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kanda and Allen doing the same, the silver-haired boy smiling softly up at the girl who was like family to him.

Rhode didn't seem to see either of them; she was thoroughly immersed in her performance.

"I will never let you fall. I'll stand up for you forever. I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to Heaven." As she repeated the chorus, there was a loud cheering from the people watching the young woman finish. Her face flushed lightly, Rhode looked towards her uncle and his new spouse. Tyki bowed slightly, a smile on his face. Lavi did the same, though he seemed to have tears in his eyes.

Rhode leapt from the stand, her skirt fluttering around her as she landed on the ground. Her kohl was smeared from the day, and she was completely out of breath, her chest heaving up and down, but she still never looked more excited than she had in that moment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was later in the night when Allen waved at them, Kanda staring in the opposite direction, as both boys turned to leave.

Tyki felt the brush of cloth on his arm; startled, he turned a second too late as Rhode all but flew towards Allen. The pale boy faltered when he saw her coming towards him, his silver eyes going wide with surprise when she barreled into him, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist.

She muttered something in his ear, making Allen flush lightly as he relaxed and hugged her back slowly. His head leaned against hers as he whispered something back to the girl. They stood like that for a few moments before Rhode pulled away; she seemed to wipe her eyes, making Allen laugh. Rhode leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Allen's cheek before she turned and bolted, her skirt fluttering around her ankles as she returned to Tyki's side. Tyki almost laughed when he saw how her kohl, almost gone now, smeared all over Allen's clothes. Ignoring his knowing smirk, Rhode turned and waved at the two departing boys.

"Bye, Allen!" Allen waved back again; even with the distance, they could see the happiness in his eyes and face.

"What changed your mind?" Tyki asked his niece. Her arm lowered to her side, but she never took her gaze off of Allen as he walked away with Kanda. "You were so adamant about avoiding him. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I don't..." Rhode glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before sighing. Her shoulders dropped, as if she expected Tyki to admonish her for doing something wrong. "I miss him. I was surprised to see him, and I tried to ignore him because of Lord Millennium, but I-I was really happy to see him again." Tyki patted her hair; the spikes brushed against his hand, creating an oddly calming effect on both of them.

"I was glad he came." Tyki admitted softly. "This whole thing has gone on for far too long. It is time to put this as far behind us as possible. This was the best step in that direction." Rhode looked up at her uncle curiously.

"You really mean it?" She asked; there was a tinge of hopefulness in her voice as she asked him. He laughed softly.

"Of course." He said teasingly, vanishing for a moment before he appeared under Rhode; he straightened up, the girl shrieking as she found herself holding onto the head of her uncle. His hands found purchase on her thighs, his laughter following after her startled sound.

"Kak!"

"When have I ever lied to you, darling?" Rhode shrieked out a laughed answer, giggles overtaking her as she found her balance on Tyki's shoulders. "Hmm?"

"Kak, put me down!" Despite her protests, Rhode held on tighter as he ignored her and began walking again, heading for the campground. "Really, Kak, what will Lord Millennium think? We are acting like a bunch of children!"

"We're supposed to have fun." Tyki responded easily, not allowing her to move. "It's a wedding party, remember? We've been planning this for many seasons, so I doubt Lord Millennium will mind us acting, as you so eloquently put it, like a bunch of children."

"Yes, I'm sure, Kak." Rhode giggled, glancing only once at the retreating Allen and Kanda. "Never mind."

"Tyki!" Lavi rushed up to him, his arms going around the older gypsy's waist as he tried not to push Rhode off her careful perch. "Did you see Allen and Kanda off?"

"They'll get home safe, hopefully." Lavi pressed a quick kiss to Tyki's lips, smiling widely. Rhode, with all her normal agility, got to her feet and jumped off her uncle's shoulders; as soon a her feet touched the ground, she darted away, headed back to camp. The couple watched her go, amusement and fondness mixed on their faces. "I take it there's no sign of stopping?"

"Sheryl and Tricia are dancing, Lord Millennium is telling stories about when you were a child, Cross is flirting with who he can, even Lulubell looks like she's enjoying herself." Lavi turned slightly, facing the camp before them. "This is going to continue well into the night, isn't it?"

"Most likely." Tyki agreed. "All weddings do- - -either into the night, or until the last of us passes out and drops due to exhaustion."

"Hmm." Lavi leaned his head on Tyki's shoulder and fingered his hammer, which had been placed firmly in its holster on his leg. Tyki watched him out of the corner of his eye, thinking about what Allen had said. He hid a laugh when he thought of the look on Allen's face upon discovering Lavi's father to be Cross Marian, of all people. Lavi looked at him curiously, but Tyki shook his head and took the red head's arm.

"Well, shall we join them once more?" Lavi took Tyki's arm, beaming when their hands touched and Tyki intertwined their fingers together.

"Yes." Together, they headed back towards camp

That...was a crappy ending. Shit. Ever get the type of story where it's like 'crap, how the hell do I end this?'; yea, that's what this was. I'm very sorry.

And then the whole 'Lavi-is-Cross's-kid' thing- - -yea, I have no idea where that came from. It kinda just...sprung up on me randomly. I don't even remember typing it; I just re-read it and was like 'WTF- - -seriously? Cross is Lavi's _father_?'

The thing at the beginning is kinda a Romani tradition I found. All the things Tyki and Rhode said about diseases and childbirth, as well as the avoidance of the new mother for thirty-forty days, came from wikipedia. (I couldn't remember if it was thirty days or forty days, so I made it somewhere between the two). Before childbirth, a girl/woman has almost no respect (I think), and she gains respect the more she has kids, or something similar to that. I thought it'd be interesting to have that tidbit there, so I created a situation where I could use it. XD sorry if it's a completely random scene.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who's ever reviewed/favorited/alerted this story of mine. You guys are the best, even the silent readers I know are out there, reading this. Thank you all for sticking with this, even when it started taking weeks for me to update. It really makes me happy that you guys pushed through it, especially when my chapters started getting hella long. XD and I had to create a whole gypsy wedding for this chapter- - -hopefully, that explains why it took so long this time. Onward to 'A Bullet With Butterfly Wings'! XD

Again, thank you all! XD

According to the website I found:

Kak=uncle

Barvalimos=wealth

Baxt=luck

Bibaxt=bad luck

Abiav=wedding feast

Arvah=yes 


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